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I LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. S 



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I UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I 

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STATISTICS AND FACTS 



IN REFERENCE TO 



THE LQED'S-DAY. 



BY 

JOHN T. V BAYLEE, B.A., 

CLERICAL SECRETARY OP THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE DUE OBSERVANCE 
OF THE LORD'S-DAY. 



LONDON: 
SEELEYS, 54 FLEET STREET; 

J. H. JACKSON, ISLINGTON GREEN. 

1852. 



wm 






The Library 
of Conhress 



WAsaiM&iasf 



LONDON : 

C. F. HODGSON, PRINTER, 

GOUGH SQUARE, FLEET STREET. 



PREFACE. 



The author avails himself of the opportunity a 
preface offers of making one or two explanatory 
remarks respecting the book he ventures to present 
to the public. He has carefully studied brevity in it, 
and with this view has often refrained from making- 
observations on the facts stated, where otherwise it 
might have been desirable to do so. He was anxious 
to lay before the reader original matter only, or 
matter not generally known, in order to avoid in- 
creasing the size, and consequently the expense, of 
the book, by introducing information which might 
be easily obtained from other sources. Hence it is 
that he has taken for granted the Divine authority 
and perpetual obligation of the Sabbath institution; 
as those persons who wish to satisfy their minds on 



PREFACE. 



this important subject have abundant facilities for 
doing so, in the numerous treatises in proof of it, 
published at the present day, amongst which the 
author would particularly recommend the " Seven 
Sermons of the Bishop of Calcutta.* It is also de- 
sirable to mention, that the statements respecting 
the number of Railway Trains run on the LordV 
day, and of the number of Steam Boats on the 
River Thames, were, ascertained in winter : a 
very great increase takes place in both during the 
summer months. 

* Hatchard, Piccadilly. 



CONTENTS. 



page 

The Press , 4 

The Sale of Intoxicating Drinks on the Lord's-day . . 17 

Desecration of the Lord's-day in the Post-office . . . «, 41 

Railways 46 

Sale of Tobacco and Snuff on the Lord's-day 62 

Desecration of the Lord's-day on Canals and Navigable 

Rivers 64 

Steam Boats 66 

Employment of Omnibus Servants and Cab Drivers on 

the Lord's-day , 77 

Smithfleld Market ■. 85 

Iron Works 87 

Cheese-making on the Lord's-day « 93 

Baking on the Lord's-day 99 

Metropolitan and City Police 105 

Trading on the Lord's-day ;'.'.. 107 

The Adaptation of the Sabbath Institution to Man. ... 122 
History of Efforts to promote the due Observance of 

the Lord's-day 153 

1831-2 163 

1832-3 164 

1833-4 169 

1834-5 170 

1835-6 175 

a 2 



IV CONTENTS. 

page 

1836-7 175 

1837-8 177 

1838-9 183 

1839-40 , 195 

1840-1 202 

1841-2 208 

1842-3 209 

1843-4 211 

1844-5 213 

1845-6 219 

1847-8 230 

1848-9 235 

1850-1 249 

Observance of the LordVday in Foreign Countries . . 258 
Summary of the Statutes for the Observance of the 

LordVday 267 

The Book of Sports 283 



STATISTICS AND EACTS 



IN REFERENCE TO 



THE LOBD'S DAY. 



The object of the following pages is to secure a 
greater amount of co-operation in efforts to promote 
the observance of the LordVDay than is at present 
given. That portion of the religious community who 
take a lively interest in this subject, it is admitted 
constitute an active body ; but they are few in num- 
ber : indeed, it is matter for surprise and regret, that 
so many who are engaged in promoting other good 
causes, either of religion or benevolence, are never- 
theless apathetic and indifferent as regards public 
and associated exertion respecting this one, the 
great importance of which, we must suppose, they 
cannot fail to see, on a little reflection. This state 
of feeling may be mainly attributed to two causes, — 
opposite in themselves, but leading to a like result, — 
ignorance of the fearful and dangerous extent to 
which desecration of the LordVDay prevails, which 
neutralizes to a great degree the efforts of the minis- 



STATISTICS AND FACTS 



ters of Christ, and saps the foundations of national 
morality, — or such ^xi overwhelming conviction of the 
greatness and inveteracy of the evil, and of the im- 
possibility of entirely eradicating it, as paralyzes 
effort : those who take this view will not attempt 
anything, because they cannot do everything. 

Now the remedy for the former description of 
persons, in order to rouse them to exertion, is to 
give them information on the subject of the desecra- 
tion of the LordVDay ; and by this means to cause 
them to see the extent and malignity of the malady, 
by which the religious and moral constitution of 
society is attacked and enfeebled. To the latter 
should be submitted the duty of diminishing an evil, 
even where we cannot destroy it ; and also encourage- 
ments to exertion, derived from the success which 
may have attended efforts to obviate and check this 
great sin of the professing Church. However, before 
endeavouring to accomplish these objects, the author 
would observe that it is not his intention to enter at 
all into the subject of the authority and obligation 
of the observance of the LordVDay. There can be 
but two classes of persons as regards the practical 
view to be taken of the LordVDay; those who 
would cause it to be more spiritually observed than 
it is, and those who would render it more a secular 
day. With the former he can have no real difference 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 3 

of opinion ; with the latter, no common ground of 
sympathy. He will therefore nass at once to the 
practical points to be brought under attention, as 
indicated in the title-page. 

There can be no question but that much ignorance 
prevails as to the extent of the desecration of the LordV 
Day. People for the most part have a very undefined 
idea of it, or a very limited and partial one ; de- 
rived, perhaps, only from personal observation in 
their own immediate locality. It is to be hoped that 
the statistics and facts which will be mentioned in 
these pages may lead to a more correct and extended 
view of the subject; although it is, at the outset, 
candidly admitted that they convey but a very in- 
adequate idea of the real state of things ; for they 
refer only to certain departments of the subject of 
the desecration of the LordVDay — not to all; for 
accurate and reliable statistics on every part of the 
question cannot be obtained ; and even those that 
are mentioned have been collected from various 
quarters, and with some difficulty : they have, how- 
ever, been derived from the most authentic sources ; 
original papers and authorities having been in every 
case, where practicable, consulted. 

The first desecration of the LordVDay to which 
reference shall be made, is by the public Press. 
b2 



STATISTICS AND TACTS 



THE PRESS. 



The influence of the public Press in forming the 
mind of a nation, for good or for evil, is universally 
felt and acknowledged : in professing to give ex- 
pression to the ideas and feelings of the community, 
it in reality imbues it with its own. The great ma- 
jority of readers merge their judgment in that of 
the periodical they are in the habit of perusing ; they 
regard its views as dogmas to be embraced, rather 
than as opinions to be weighed and examined : they 
become readers of the particular paper from some 
predilection in its favour, which prepares them to re- 
ceive with indulgence, and, after a while, with im- 
plicit credence, all that it states : limited, generally 
speaking, to one source of information, they have 
no opportunity of correcting their judgment by more 
varied reading. 

But whilst the influence of the Press generally is 
vast on these accounts, that of the immoral portion 
of it greatly preponderates ; for its views and senti- 
ments are more in accordance with the evil pro- 
pensities of our fallen nature : in order to obtain 
readers, it consults and panders to the vitiated tastes 
of the worst classes of society ; and in indulging 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD S-DAY. 5 

them, renders them still more depraved. For these 
reasons the importance of the public Press, when 
used as an agency for evil, cannot be overrated. 

The object of this book, however, is not to fix at- 
tention on the immoral press alone, although it cir- 
culates principally on Sundays ; but on the press 
generally, so far as directly or indirectly it leads to 
the desecration of the Lord 5 s -Day, by transmission, 
delivery, or perusal thereon. 

The following tabular statements, derived from the 
Appendix to " The Report of the Select Committee 
of the House of Commons on Newspaper Stamps," 
of the date of 1850, will enable the reader to form 
some idea of the extent to which secular and immoral 
publications issuing from the metropolis are made 
instrumental in desecrating the LordVDay in the 
ways mentioned above. 

Let us inquire into the circulation of the London 
weekly newspapers published on Friday evenings, 
all of which issue second editions ; and also of the 
London weekly newspapers published on Saturday 
mornings, which likewise issue second editions. 
These papers, be it observed, are chiefly intended for 
Sunday reading, and are read principally by the work- 
ing classes on that day, who have not means to pur- 
chase the daily papers, nor leisure to read them at 
any other time. 



6 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

The following is the number of stamps which 
were issued to the weekly London newspapers pub- 
lished on Friday evenings, issuing second editions,, 
in the year 1850 : — 

Illustrated London News 3,467,007 

Weekly News 74,600 

Northern Star 246,000 

Leader 116,275 

Standard of Freedom 168,500 

Lloyd's Weekly News 2,559,000 

News of the World 2,926,269 

Weekly Times 2,037,703 

11,595,354 



The following is the number of stamps which were 
issued to the weekly London newspapers published 
on Saturday mornings, also issuing second editions, 
in 1850 :— 

Atlas 98,000 

Weekly Dispatch 1,950,000 

Weekly Chronicle 85,000 

Bell's Life in London 1,285,000 

Sunday Times . . 675,000 

John Bull 110,000 

4,203,000 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD S-DAY. 7 

The annual circulation of the Saturday editions 
or issues of the daily evening London newspapers 
may be fairly estimated at one sixth of the entire 
annual circulation. 

The number of stamps issued in the year 1850 
to the daily evening newspapers was as follows : — 

TheGlobe (issuing a later edition) 535,000 
Standard (issuing a later edition) 492,000 
Sun (issuing a later edition) . . 834,500 

Shipping Gazette 459,500 

Express 766,950 



3,087,950 



One sixth of this number (514,658) may there- 
fore be considered as the annual circulation on Satur- 
days of the daily evening papers. 

In addition to these, there are eighteen weekly 
newspapers of a general and class character published 
on Saturday evenings, and two fortnightly ; the 
number of stamps issued to which, in the year 1850, 
was 1,832,993 ; to which, if we add the preceding 
numbers, we shall have a total of 18,146,005. 

The reader must now take into consideration that 
proportion of the Saturday circulation of the daily 



8 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

London morning newspapers which, being trans- 
mitted by railway or through the Post-office, do not 
arrive at their destination till late on Saturday or on 
Sunday ; also that proportion of the provincial press 
of England and of the newspapers of Ireland and Scot- 
land, many of which are published on Saturday, which 
are transmitted, delivered, or read on Sunday. The 
number of provincial newspapers in England and 
Wales in the year 1850 was 246; the number of 
newspapers published in Ireland in the same year 
was 105 ; and in Scotland, 141 ; — 392 in all. Taking 
all these into consideration, and allowing at the same 
time considerable deduction for that portion of the 
metropolitan and provincial newspapers the circula- 
tion of which does not necessarily lead to the dese- 
cration of the LordVDay, we shall make rather a 
low estimate of that proportion which does so, either 
by being transmitted, delivered, or perused thereon, if 
we fix it at 18,000,000, or nearly one fifth of the entire 
circulation of the newspapers of the United King- 
dom, which in 1851 was 91,661,089. It must be 
observed that we have not taken into account in this 
estimate the daily and weekly newspapers published 
on Mondays, the preparation of which involves 
much Sunday labour to those employed in connection 
with the press. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 9 

The following is a list of those newspapers which 
represent the religious opinions and feelings of the 
community, with their annual circulation. They 
are alphabetically arranged : — 

British Banner 229,900 

Catholic Roman Standard .... 80,950 

Christian Times 94,000 

Church and State Gazette 44,000 

English Churchman 79,000 

Guardian 187,825 

John Bull 110,000 

Nonconformist 154,175 

Patriot.... 139,000 

Record 390,500 

Tablet (Roman Catholic) 217,353 

Wesleyan Times 466,900 

Watchman 209,000 



Total 2,402,603 



Now the reader is left to draw his own conclusions, 
when he compares with the total annual circulation of 
all the religious newspapers of the metropolis, the 
annual circulation of the following newspapers of an 
opposite or of secular character :— 



10 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

Bell's Life in London 1,285,500 

News of the World 2,926,269* 

Weekly Dispatch 1,950,000 

Weekly Times 2,037,703f 

Sunday Times 675,000 

8,874,472 



Amongst those newspapers which more especially 
represent the religious opinions and feelings of the 
country, the Record is distinguished for its uncom- 
promising and unvarying advocacy of the observance 
of the LordVDay, on the ground of the Divine 
authority and perpetual obligation of the Christian 
sabbath. By these means it has been most useful 
in cherishing a regard for its observance amongst 
that considerable portion of the community by which 
it is read, and in cheeking the desecration of it in 
the kingdom generally. 

The editors of the Bell's Weekly Messenger have 
also evinced their regard for the sanctity of the 
LordVDay in the management of that newspaper, 
in that they have purposely altered their arrange- 



* More than the entire circulation of religious newspapers. 
f Nearly as much. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 11 

ments for printing and publishing, so as to avoid all 
interference with the due observance of the day. 

So far, then, with regard to that portion of the 
press the circulation of which is facilitated by a 
stamp. Let us now turn to the unstamped press of 
the country. 

A pamphlet was published in the year 1847, en- 
titled " The Power of the Press," now out of print, 
in which the facts were evidently collected with great 
care and accuracy, and from which we shall quote 
here, as the condition of the literature of the country 
has altered little, except in the way of increase, 
since that time. After entering into numerical 
and other particulars, it states (page 15) that the 
yearly circulation in 1845 of the different kinds 
of popular but manifestly pernicious literature, 
stamped and unstamped, amounted to 28,000,000 
copies. This number the writer believed to be far 
below the average : nor have we reason to suppose 
that it has since diminished, if we consider that 
stamped publications have considerably increased 
since the year 1845. The number of stamps issued in 
1845 being 84,119,770, and in 1850, 91,661,089; 
— an increase in five years of 7,541,319. (See 
Draft Report of Select Committee of the House of 
Commons on Newspaper Stamps, page 25.) 



12 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

Mr. Cassell, a gentleman extensively engaged in 
literary matters, the publisher of " The Freeholder" 
and "The Working Man's Friend/' and a very 
competent judge, states his belief, before the Select 
Committee of the House of Commons on Newspaper 
Stamps before referred to, that the circulation of 
penny daily newspapers is 50,000 daily (page 233, 
No. 1421); or upwards of 15,000,000 annually. So 
that if we consider that the larger proportion of these 
publications are of an injurious tendency, we may fairly 
conclude that the estimate formed by u The Power 
of the Press," in 1847, is rather under the mark than 
otherwise, as regards the year 1851. 

In reference to the Quantity and Quality of 
these Papers, — 

Mr. S. G. Bucknell (formerly editor of the Stroud 
Observer), printer and publisher^ being examined by 
the Select Committee of the House of Commons on 
Newspaper Stamps, on the circulation of immoral 
literature on Sundays, says, page 205 : " When 
we see cart-loads leaving at a time, we know that it 
must be enormous, if we are wrong as to a few thou- 
sands. If you go into Salisbury Square on a Sunday 
morning, and see the numbers that leave that place, 
and look again into Holywell Street, and in some 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 13 

places in Paternoster Row, it only requires a person 
to go and stand there and see the persons leaving 
the publisher's office with immense loads." Again ; 
" If you go into some of what we call the back 
slums, and different places both in London and in 
the provincial towns, you will see very often shops 
open on the Sunday morning. Those are out of the 
general reach of observation; and unless you go 
there and positively watch the sale, it is impossible 
that you can have any idea of the amount of moral 
depravity of these things." 

In reply to the question, " Are these publications 
so very immoral V 9 — he states : " Some time ago there 
was a review of the different classes of publications, 
serials, in the c Daily News f and it took them in 
batches : batch one, batch two, and so on ; consider- 
ing Chambers' Miscellany in one batch, and The 
Parlour Library in another; and then it came to 
those that it represented as the foulest filth of all 
literary matter : robbing was represented as merely 
a skilful sleight of hand ; murder as nothing else but 
heroism ; and seduction and prostitution as being 
anything else but blameable." 

Mr. A. Walker, City Missionary, being examined 
before the Select Committee of the House of Com- 
mons appointed to consider a Bill to prevent Sun- 



14 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

day trading, April 1850, page 189, states, in re- 
ference to immoral papers : " I would prevent every 
kind of paper being sold on Sunday. The class of 
papers sold on Sunday are the ruin, as I consider, of 
the morals of the London population : these half- 
penny and penny small papers are what are generally 
read on Sundays." On being asked whether they 
are not most disloyal and immoral, he replies, 
" Very much so," 

The following extract from the Report of the Com- 
missioner appointed to inquire into the State of the 
Population of the Mining Districts, (1851,) will be 
read with painful interest as an additional testimony 
to the same effect. (Page 34.) 

" The numerous small publications which I noticed in 
my Report of last year on South Staffordshire, as circu- 
lating among the mining population, avowing atheistical 
principles, attacking Christianity, and levelled against the 
whole social and moral framework of this country, are 
greatly read in this district. There are several shops for 
the sale of these in Newcastle-on-Tyne, from whence 
they also find their way into the country around. At 
the principal shop of this kind I purchased a collection 
of the whole of the periodicals sold there in one week, 
and was furnished by the owner with a statement of the 
number of copies of each sold by him every week ; which 
I have particular reasons, founded on further inquiry, to 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORIES-DAY. 



15 



believe to be correct. I have examined them all, and 
find they may be classed as follows : — 



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"£<" ^ 


M 


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£* 


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111 


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75 




CL, OS 3 




co *S Si 




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$»!•■§ 


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'o to 


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5 


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No. 


Copies. 


No. 


Copies. 


No. 


Copies. 


No. 


Copies. 


1 


600 


1 


600 


1 


1008 


1 


648 


2 


400 






2 


360 


2 


144 


3 


192 






3 


144 


3 


96 


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128 






4 


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4 


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9 


120 














9 


1612 


1 


600 


4 


1656 


3 


888 



w The infidel and Chartist publications are reproductions, 
in a vigorous and attractive style, of the Rationalism of 
the Continental schools ; to which is added a great feeling 



16 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

of asperity against the upper and middle classes of this 
country. Those in the second column, designated as 
hostile to our present institutions, &c, contain, among 
many subjects unobjectionable and instructive, much 
writing that no careful father of a family would willingly 
allow to come under the eye of his children, such as 
translations from French novels, fragments of romances, 
&c. Of the infidel publications, the circulation was, ac- 
cording to my informant, increasing. A good many- 
more of these are sold than there were twelve months 
since. 

" And indeed the ability with which they are written, 
and the boldness of their attacks on revealed religion, 
and on our whole social system, are calculated to make 
them very attractive to young and inquiring minds. 

" A glance at the above table, though only referring to 
the sales of a single dealer in these publications, is suffi- 
cient to suggest the extent to which such doctrines may 
be taking root among the populations. To supply the 
means of counteracting them is both the best species of 
benevolence to individuals and an economical policy on 
the lowest ground of pecuniary calculation." 

And now we shall conclude this part of the 
subject with the inquiry, — Ought not great and 
united efforts to be made by the Christian com- 
munity, and by all desirous of the preservation of 
moral principle amongst us, to obviate and remedy 
this state of things ? Literature of a character at 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 17 

once improving and interesting should be provided 
and made accessible to the humbler classes of so- 
ciety, by means of libraries, tract distribution, and 
cheap periodicals, conveying the news of the day, 
political, religious, and scientific. Thus a purer taste 
would be created, and numbers be withdrawn from 
the contaminating influence of an immoral press ; 
but in order to do this with the greatest possible 
effect, another great evil, an auxiliary and supporter 
of the immoral press, must be suppressed, viz. — the 
sale of intoxicating liquors on the LordVday. 



THE SALE OE INTOXICATING DRINKS 
ON THE LOKD'S-DAY. 

The connection which subsists between the various 
forms of desecration of the LordVday is a striking 
feature in this sin : there is a kind of compact be- 
tween all, or league offensive and defensive, bound 
together by the strong ties^of natural inclination to 
evil and personal interest. Thus the public-house or 
beer-shop encourages the perusal of secular and 
immoral publications on the LordVday ; for these 



18 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

publications constitute an additional inducement to 
the working man to frequent those places. A large 
proportion of the population spend a great part of the 
Sunday in public-houses or beer-shops : into which 
admission is often obtained even during those hours 
in which they are required by law to be closed ; for 
them the place of worship is abandoned, and the family 
neglected. There they too often degrade themselves 
below the level of the beast that perisheth, on that 
sacred day which was specially designed to raise them 
above earth, and elevate their thoughts and affections 
to Heaven. There, are squandered, in a few hours of 
that holy day, in the gratification of the appetite of 
one, those hard-earned wages which should have con- 
tributed to the comforts of the family throughout the 
week. When we consider that almost every public- 
house and beer-shop is a centre of temptation on the 
Lord's-day, to which flow those who seek their 
own pleasure thereon — the traveller by the Sunday 
excursion-train — by the steam-boat — the operative., 
or the labourer who dwells in their vicinity — we 
may form some idea of what multiplied and fearful 
agencies of evil are dispersed in every quarter of the 
kingdom. 

The following is a return of the number of per- 
sons licensed for the manufacture and sale of in- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORDS-DAY. 



19 



toxicating liquors in the year 1849, in the United 
Kingdom : — 



Brewers of strong beer not exceeding 20 barrels 



do. 50 

do. 100 

do. 1,000 

exceeding 1,000 



Do 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 

Brewers of table beer 

Retail brewers 

Sellers of strong beer only 

Beer retailers, under j£20 rental 

Do. above j620 rental 

Ret. of beer, cider, or perry, drunk on premises 

Do. not drunk on premises 

Retailers of cider and perry only 

Maltsters 

Distillers and rectifiers 

Dealers in spirits not being retailers 

Retailers of spirits under £10 rental 

Do. „ 20 „ 



Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 



25 
30 
40 
50 



Do. £50 rental and upwards 
Makers of stills 
Retailers of spirits, tea, and coffee, in Ireland, 7 

under £25 rental . . . . . . ) 

Retailers of spirits, tea, and coffee, in Ireland, I 

under £30 rental . . . . . . J 

Do. do. under £40 rental 
Do. do. under £50 rental 
Do. do. at and above £50 rental 
Dealers in foreign wine only . . 

c2 



8,335 

8,407 

9,143 

15,332 

1,614 

502 

39 

1,322 

66,094 

22,326 

34,755 

3,234 

805 

8,399 

348 

3,448 

32,977 

28,148 

4,294 

3,087 

4,419 

2,654 

7,665 

22 

83 



12 
7 

30 
1,620 



20 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

Dealers in foreign wine having a beer licence. . 100 

Do. having a licence to retail beer or spirits 28,930 

Roasters of malt . . . . . . . . 15 

Dealers in roasted malt . . . . . . 26 

Passenger vessels, on board which liquors and } ~ fi * 
tobacco are sold . . . . . . j* 

Retailers^ of foreign liquors . . . . . . 40 

Do. sweets or made wines .. .. 5,652. 



Total 304,253 



According to " The Criminal and Miscellaneous 
Statistical Returns of the Manchester Police for 
1852/' the population of the Borough of Manches- 
ter was 303,358 by the Census of 1851 ; there were 
in the borough for this population in that year 481 
public-houses, and 1298 beer-shops, or 1779 places 
for the sale of intoxicating drinks, or one such place 
for every 170 of the population; 28 of the public- 
houses, and 21 of the beer-shops, had music on 
Sundays. Sacred music is played in them on Sun- 
day evenings ; which operates as an inducement to 
teachers and scholars in Sunday-schools to frequent 
those places on those evenings ; who reconcile their 
consciences to such a proceeding on the ground that 
they are listening to psalmody. 

The returns referred to above, strikingly illustrate 
a point which will be mentioned presently — namely, 
the connexion between the sale of intoxicating 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORDVDAY. 21 

liquors on the LordVday and crime. The number 
of offences reported against keepers of public-houses 
in the borough of Manchester in the year 1850, on 
ordinary days, was 5, on Sundays, 52; against 
beer-house keepers in the same year, on ordinary 
days 192, on Sundays, 292. The offences reported 
were such as involved desecration of the LordVday 
by gambling, drinking, &c. &c. 

Mr. Porter, Secretary to the Board of Trade, in 
his interesting paper on the Self-imposed Taxation 
of the Working Classes, states that there were in 
England and Wales, in the year 1850, 129,075 
persons who had taken out licences for the pro- 
duce and sale of beer; namely, — 2507 brewers, 
88,496 victuallers, and 38,070 licensed to keep 
beer-houses. In the metropolis alone there are 
4210 public-houses and gin-shops, and 720 beer 
retailers, which go far to neutralize, during the 
hours of the LordVday on which they are permitted 
to be open, the efforts of the ministers of religion 
connected with the 627 places of worship of all 
denominations therein. 

In considering the bearing of this subject on the 
LordVday, it must be kept in mind that at least 
two persons on an average are involved in labour in 
each case where such trade is carried on, any part 



22 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

of the day. How vast then must be the number of 
persons in connection with this particular descrip- 
tion of traffic desecrating the Sabbath. We are safe 
in estimating them at more than 500,000 ; but how 
still more fearful the magnitude of the evil will appear, 
and how ruinous to national religion and morals, 
when it is remembered that nearly 300,000 of these 
persons form each a centre to an extensive circle of 
the population in every locality in the kingdom. 
Mr. Porter calculates that £50,000,000 are annually 
expended by the working classes in intoxicating 
drinks — a sum which competent authorities con- 
sider to be lower than that actually expended, as 
Mr. Porter makes no allowance in his computation 
for illicit distillation, nor for the increase of the 
quantity actually sold by adulteration and admixture 
of cordials. However, taking it at the low estimate 
of Mr. Porter, we may reckon that one-fifth of this 
vast sum, or ten millions sterling, is annually spent 
on the LordVday by the working classes in pur- 
chasing intoxicating drinks. 

Mr. Porter calculates that 2^ gallons of spirits 
to every adult male are consumed annually in Eng- 
land, 3| in Ireland, and 1 ] J- in Scotland. In re- 
ference to Scotland, it must be kept in mind that 
comparatively little beer is consumed there. Now 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORd's-DAY. 



23 



we shall not be far wrong if we conclude that 
nearly one-fifth of this immense quantity of spirits 
is consumed on the LordVday. 

Nothing can be more manifest and undeniable 
than the connection between the open public-house 
or beer-shop on the Lord's-day and crime : just in 
proportion as restrictions are placed on them, crime 
diminishes. The following returns unquestionably 
prove this. They are extracted from a paper issued 
by the British Association for the Promotion of 
Temperance. 

metropolitan police returns from the year 
1838 to 1844. 





Number 




taken into 


Year. 


custody for 




Drunken- 




ness. 


1838 


21,237 


1839 


21,269 


1840 


16,505 


1841 


15,006 


1842 


12,338 


1843 


10,890 


1844 


8,321 



Number taken into 

custody from 12 on 

Saturday night to 12 

on Sunday night. 



5,765 
4,896 
3,439 
3,423 
2,976 
2,973 
2,893 



Proportions which the cases 
of drunkenness on the Sab- 
bath bear to the whole num- 
ber. 



above 27| per cent. 

« 23 „ 
nearly 21 „ 

» 23 w 
above 24 „ 

nearly 35 „ 



This table renders two things perfectly clear : 
1st. That one-fourth of the persons convicted for 



24 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

drunkenness in those years to which the return refers, 
were taken into custody on Sundays ; and 

2nd. That, since the introduction of the Metro- 
politan Improvement Act, there has been a decrease 
of nearly 50 per cent, (or one-half) in the convictions 
for drunkenness occurring on the Sabbath, and also 
a decrease of more than 60 per cent, in the total 
number of convictions. 



The following table is extracted from returns ob- 
tained from the superintendent of police at Liver- 
pool, and includes one year before, and two years 
after, the Improvement Act came into operation, one 
clause of which enforces the closing of public-houses 
from twelve o'clock on Saturday night till one 
o'clock on Sunday. The returns are made out from 
the 1st of September to the 31st of August, and 
consequently embrace a portion of two years : — 





Number 








taken 


Number taken into 


Proportions which 




into 


custody from 12 


the cases of drunken- 


Years. 


custody 


o'clock on Saturday 


ness on the Sabbath 




for 


night till Monday 


bear to the whole- 




Drunk- 


morning. 


number. 




enness. 






1841 and 1842 


7,602 


2,227 


29.209 per cent 


1842 „ 1843 


7,023 


1,501 


21.372 „ 


1843 „ 1844 


7,044 


1,542 


21.890 „ 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 



25 



From the preceding figures it will be seen, that 
from the 1st of September, 1841, to the 31st of 
August, 1842 (which was the year previous to the 
regulation in question being enforced), the cases of 
drunkenness on the Sabbath were more than 29 per 
cent, of the whole number taken into custody for 
that offence ; whilst in the two years which follow, 
when public-houses were closed half the Sunday, 
not 22 per cent, of the whole number of cases oc- 
curred on the Sabbath. Certainly this is satisfactory 
evidence of the beneficial results which would fol- 
low the entire prohibition of this traffic on the LordV 
day, and must be a sufficient answer to those who 
assert that the interests of morality and social order 
cannot be promoted by legislative enactments. 



The following is a comparative return for three 
years of the whole number of prisoners brought 
before the Magistrates of Liverpool for all offences, 
commencing 1st September, 1841, and ending 31st 
August, 1844 : — 



Years. 


Mondays. 


Other Days. 


Total. 


1841 and 1842 

1842 „ 1843 

1843 „ 1844 


5,820 
4,822 
4,694 


11,837 
10,690 
10,385 


17,657 
15,512 
15,079 



26 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

We add the testimony of individuals whose posi- 
tion in society has afforded them an opportunity to 
observe the working of the measure to which refe- 
rence has so frequently been made : the first is from 
the Stipendiary Magistrate at Liverpool. He says : — 
" I can safely assure you, that no benefit has been 
conferred on the town of Liverpool, so fraught with 
advantage of all kinds, at all equal to that which 
has resulted from the closing of public-houses on 
Saturday at twelve o'clock, until Sunday at one 
o'clock. We now have order and sobriety in dis- 
tricts which were formerly, during the night and 
Sunday morning, scenes of the wildest uproar and 
drunkenness." 

The Mayor of the same town writes : — ts It is not 
in my power to furnish you with any returns simi- 
lar to those you have received from the Metropo- 
litan Police Commissioners ; but / can hear ample 
testimony to the benefit Liverpool has derived from 
the clause in our Improvement Act enforcing the 
closing of public-houses from twelve o'clock on 
Saturday night until one o'clock on Sunday." 

The Chief Constable of Manchester makes the 
following communication : — " I am very much satis- 
fied in being able to state that the clause to which 
you refer in the Manchester Improvement Act, pro- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD'S-DAY. 27 

hibiting the opening of public-houses between the 
hours of twelve o'clock on Saturday night and 
twelve o'clock on Sunday, has operated most bene- 
ficially for the good order of the town on Sundays, 
and particularly the Sunday mornings: streets, 
which formerly were kept in a disorderly state on 
the mornings of Sunday, from drunken people being 
turned out of the public-houses, are now quiet and 
orderly. The decrease also which has taken place 
in the number of prisoners for drunkenness has 
been very considerable" 

The Mayor of Newcastle-upon-Tyne writes :— 
f As to the working of the Newcastle Improvement 
Act, in reference to the closing of public-houses, I 
beg to inform you that the result of the law has been 
most satisfactory ; there being an evident decrease 
in the number of drunken persons brought before 
the magistrates, and a general improvement in the 
good order and regulation of the town" 

It should be remembered, however, that the cheer- 
ing decrease proved to have taken place in the crime 
of drunkenness, in addition to the promotion of the 
good order of society generally, is the result of 
closing these houses during the first half of Sunday 
only } when the amount of drinking is small com- 
pared with that which takes place during the latter 



28 



STATISTICS AND FACTS 



part of that day. It is, therefore, reasonable to 
conclude, that if the regulation had extended to the 
whole day y the diminution would have been more 
than double what it is. Hence the reasons for 
the extension of the law to the whole day. Can a 
single argument be adduced in support of keeping 
public-houses open, during the afternoon and night 
of Sunday, which will not equally apply to the 
morning ? Assuredly not ; and as the inhabitants 
of the largest city, and three of the most important 
towns in the empire, have dispensed with these 
places during the former part of the Sabbath, not 
merely without inconvenience, but with immense 
advantage, we earnestly call on every friend of 
social order, of morality, and of religion, to aid in 
the attainment of a law prohibiting entirely the sale 
of intoxicating liquors on Sunday, throughout the 
kingdom. This measure once secured, the result- 
ing benefits will, we are persuaded, be so clearly 
manifest, that every man of sound mind and correct 
views will be astonished that a professedly Christian 
people should have so long tolerated among them a 
system so fraught with crime and injustice, and 
productive of such an immense amount of evil, as 
the traffic in intoxicating liquors on the LordVday. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD S-DAY. 



29 



The following extract, from a Report of the Edin- 
burgh Commissioners of Police, e< appointed to con- 
fer with the Magistrates and Justices on the subject 
of Public-houses, &c," fully proves also that this 
violation of the Sabbath invariably, and indeed 
necessarily, leads to crime and degradation : — 

I. Number of Persons admitted into the Police Prison 
within the last three month s, charged with drunken- 
ness, from Fridays at four o'clock p. m., to Sundays 
following at four o'clock p. m. — Police Office, 
1st April, 1840. 



1840. 


Friday at 4 
p. m. to Sa- 
turday at 4 

P.M. 


Saturday at 
4 p. m., to 

Sunday at 
at 4 p. m. 


Totals. 


Jan. 3 to Jan. 5 


4 


13 


17 


10 12 


6 


14 


20 


17 19 


7 


18 


25 


24 26 


7 


17 


24 


31 to Feb. 2 


4 


11 


15 


Feb. 7 9 


6 


16 


22 


14 16 


7 


20 


27 


21 23 


3 


10 


13 


28 to Mar. 1 


5 


17 


22 


Mar. 6 8 


6 


28 


34 


13 15 


13 


19 


32 


20 22 


4 


22 


26 


27 29 
Totals 


10 


16 


26 


82 


221 


303 



30 



STATISTICS AND FACTS 



II. Number of Persons admitted into the Police Prison 
within the last three months, charged with various 
offences, from Fridays at four o'clock p. m., to Sun- 
days following at four o'clock p. m. — Police Office, 
1st April, 1840. 



Date. 


Friday at 4 
P. m., to 

Saturday at 

4 P. M. 


Saturday at 
4 P. m., to 
Sunday at 

4 P. M. 


Totals. 


Jan. 3 to Jan. 5 
10 12 
17 19 
24 26 
31 to Feb. 2 

Feb. 7 9 
14 16 
21 23 
28 to Mar. 1 

Mar. 6 8 
13 15 
20 22 
27 29 

Totals 


11 

25 

32 

19 
14 
23 

24 
13 
18 
18 
19 
24 
28 


25 
29 
47 
27 
20 
46 
45 
32 
32 
43 
45 
46 
29 


36 
54 
79 
46 
34 
69 
69 
45 
50 
61 
64 
70 
57 


268 


466 


734 



The following returns relating to Scotland, ex- 
tracted from "The Scottish Temperance League 
Register/' will be read with painful interest, as 
bearing on the LordVday. It is to be regretted that 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 31 

there are not similar returns for England and Ire- 
land : — 



" Aberdeen, — county town of Aberdeenshire : con- 
tains a population of 76,945. There are 583 licensed 
houses for the sale of strong drinks, which is one public- 
house for every 123 of the entire population. Of 
bakers' shops there are 50, being one for 1439 of the 
population. Butchers 110, or one for 654; and book- 
sellers 35, being in the ratio of one to 2055 of the in- 
habitants. 

" Alloa, — a town in Clackmannanshire : population 
6618. Houses licensed to sell strong drinks 41, bakers 
10, butchers 6, booksellers 3. There is one house for 
the sale of strong drinks for every 1 6 1 of the population, 
one baker's shop to 662, one butcher's shop to 1103, 
one bookseller's to 2206. 

" Ayr, — county town of Ayrshire : has a population 
of 9097? and 93 licensed houses for sale of strong 
drinks, being one to 98 of the population; 8 bakers, 
or one to 1137; 8 butchers, a like ratio; and 9 book- 
sellers, being one for 1011. The above has reference 
only to the ' Old Town.' New Town and Wallace 
Town have 42 public-houses, 7 bakers, 6 butchers, and 
one bookseller. 

" Banff, — county town of Banffshire : population 
6042. Licensed houses for the sale of strong drinks 
31, bakers 8, butchers 12, booksellers 3. For every 
195 of the inhabitants there is one public-house, for 



32 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

every 755 one baker's shop, for every 503 one butcher's 
shop, for every 2014 one bookseller's shop. 

" Campbeltown, — chief town in Argyllshire : has a 
population of 6829, 75 licensed houses for the sale of 
strong drinks, 15 bakers' shops, 15 butchers' shops, 
and 3 booksellers' shops ; being one public-house to 91, 
one baker's shop to 455, one butcher's shop to 455, 
and one bookseller's shop to 2276 of the inhabitants. 

" Cupar, — county town of Fifeshire : population 
6585. Licensed houses 37, bakers 11, butchers 3, 
booksellers, 4; — in all 510, or 1 in 11| of the popula- 
tion. For every 153 persons there is one house for the 
sale of strong drink, for 517 a baker's shop, for 1895 
a butcher's shop, and for 1421 a bookseller's shop. 

" Dornoch, — county town of Sutherland : has a po- 
pulation of 599, 5 houses for the sale of strong drinks, 
2 bakers' shops, 1 butcher's shop, booksellers' shops 
none. There is one house for the sale of drinks to 120, 
one baker's shop to 299, one butcher's shop to 599. 

"Dumbarton, — county town of Dumbartonshire: 
has a population of 5411. Houses licensed for the sale 
of strong drink 39, bakers' shops 6, butchers' shops 
6, booksellers' 5. For every 139 of the population 
there is one house for the sale of strong drink, for 
902 one baker's shop, for 902 one butcher's shop, for 
1082 one bookseller's shop. 

" Dumfries, — county town of Dumfriesshire, with a 
population of 11,106 : has 139 houses licensed for the 
sale of strong drink, 13 bakers' shops, 10 butchers' 
shops, booksellers' 6. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 33 

" Dunfermline, — royal burgh in Fifeshire, with a 
population of 13,861 : has 82 houses for the sale of 
strong drink, 23 bakers' shops, 9 butchers' shops, and 6 
booksellers' shops. There is one house for the sale of 
strong drinks to 169 of the population, one baker's 
shop to 603, one butcher's shop to 1540, one book- 
seller's to 2310. 

* Edinburgh, — capital of Scotland, and chief city in 
the county of Edinburgh : population 158,015. The 
number licensed to sell strong drinks is 963, being at 
the ratio of one in each 164 of the population; bakers 
160, or one in each 988 ; butchers 110, or one in each 
1436 ; booksellers 92, or one in each 1717. 

"Elgin, — county town of Elginshire : has a popula- 
tion of 6336, 46 houses for the sale of strong drinks, 
12 bakers' shops, 17 butchers' shops, 7 booksellers' 
shops. There is one house for the sale of strong drink 
to 138, one baker's shop to 528, one butcher's shop to 
372, one bookseller's shop to 905 of the entire popula- 
tion. 

"Falkirk, — town in Stirlingshire : population 8769. 
Houses licensed to sell strong drink 79, bakers' shops 
26, butchers' shops 12, booksellers' 4. There is one 
house for the sale of strong drink to 111 of the popula- 
tion, one baker's shop to 337, one butcher's shop to 
731, one bookseller's shop to 2192. 

" Galashiels, — town in Selkirkshire : population 
5925. Licensed houses for the sale of strong drinks 
32, bakers 11, butchers 9, booksellers 5. One house 

D 



34 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

for sale of strong* drinks to every 185 of the population, 
one baker's shop to 539, one butcher's shop to 658, one 
bookseller's to 1185. 

" Glasgow, — the commercial metropolis of Scotland, 
situated in the county of Lanark, and having a popula- 
tion of 333,657. The moral condition of Glasgow was 
recently surveyed by Mr. William Logan, one of the 
agents of the Scottish Temperance League, and details 
were given embracing a complete view of the social and 
educational position of the city. The number of strong- 
drink dealers of all kinds within the parliamentary boun- 
dary, which forms the limits of the late census, is 2048, 
being one in every 163 of the population ; the number 
of bakers 247? or one in every 1351 of the inhabitants ; 
butchers 210, or one in every 1589 ; booksellers 95, or 
one in every 3512. 

" Greenlaw, — county town of Berwickshire : popu- 
lation 814. Houses licensed to sell strong drinks 6, 
bakers' shops 2, butchers' 3, booksellers' none. To the 
entire population there is one house for selling strong 
drink to 136, butchers' shops one to 271? bakers' shops 
one to 407. 

" Greenock, — town in Renfrewshire : population 
36,715. Licensed houses for the sale of strong drinks 
295, bakers' shops 32, butchers' shops 26, booksellers' 
13. There is one house for the sale of strong drinks to 
every 125, one baker's shop to 1147, one butcher's 
shop to 1412, one bookseller's to 2824 of the entire 
population. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LGHdVdAY. 35 

" Haddington, — county town of Haddingtonshire : 
has a population of 5883. Licensed houses for sale of 
drink 38, bakers' shops 8, butchers' 6, booksellers' 2. 
There is one house for the sale of drink to 102, one 
baker's shop to 485, one butcher's shop to 647? and one 
bookseller's shop to 1941 of the inhabitants. 

" Hawick, — town in Roxburghshire : it has a popu- 
lation of 9000 : 45 houses licensed to sell strong drinks, 
20 bakers, 9 butchers, 3 booksellers. There is one 
house for the sale of strong drinks to every 200 of the 
population, one baker's shop to 450, one butcher's shop 
to 1000, one bookseller's to 300. 

" Inverary, — royal burgh, and one of the chief 
towns of Argyllshire: population 1164. Houses for 
sale of strong drink 12, bakers' shops 2, butchers' 4, 
booksellers' none. For 97 persons there is one house 
for the sale of strong drinks, for 582 one baker's shop, 
for 291 one butcher's shop. 

" Inverness, — county town of Inverness-shire : popula- 
tion 12,715. Licensed houses for the sale of strong 
drink 124, bakers' shops 22, butchers' shops 38, book- 
sellers' shops 8. There is for every 102 of the entire 
population one house for the sale of strong drink, for 
578 one baker's shop, for 334 one butcher's shop, for 
1589 one bookseller's shop. 

" Jedburgh, — county town of Roxburghshire : po- 
pulation 3614. Houses for sale of strong drink 25, 
bakers' shops 12, butchers' shops 6, booksellers' 4. 
There is one house for the sale of strong drinks to 144 
d2 



36 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

of the population, one baker's shop to 301, one butcher's 
shop to 602, one bookseller's to 903. 

u Kilmarnock, — a principal town in Ayrshire : popu- 
lation 20,913. There are * in it 136 houses licensed to 
sell strong drinks, 17 bakers, 12 butchers, 10 book- 
sellers. There are, therefore, one licensed house to 154 
of the entire population, one baker's shop to 1230, one 
butcher's shop to 1743, one bookseller's shop to 2091. 

" Kinross, — county town of Kinross-shire : popula- 
tion 3220. Houses licensed to sell strong drinks 23, 
bakers 4, butchers 3, booksellers 2. There is one house 
for the sale of strong drinks to every 140 of the popula- 
tion, one baker to 805, one butcher's shop to 1073, one 
bookseller to 1610. 

" Kirkcaldy, — a royal burgh in Fifeshire : the 
population is 5797 ; but the district to which the follow- 
ing returns refer, has a population of about 14,600 ; 
113 public-houses, or one in 129 l-5th ; 21 bakers, or 
one in 695 \ ; 10 butchers, or one in 1460 ; and 8 book- 
sellers, or one in 1825. 

" Kirkcudbright, — county town of Kirkcudbright- 
shire : population 2774. Houses licensed for the sale 
of strong drinks 15, bakers' shops 3, butchers' shops 6, 
booksellers' 3. To the whole inhabitants there is one 
house for the sale of drinks to 185, one baker's shop to 
891, one butcher's shop to 462, one bookseller's to 924. 

" Kirkwall, — county town of Orkney and Shetland : 
population 3331. Houses licensed for the sale of strong 
drink 16, bakers 12, butchers 7, booksellers 2. The 
above shews one house for the sale of strong drink for 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORd's-DAY. 37 

every 208 of the inhabitants, one butcher's shop to 476, 
one baker's shop to 278, one bookseller's shop to 1665. 

"Lerwick, — town in Shetland: population 2787. 
Houses licensed for the sale of strong drinks 19, bakers 
4, butchers 7, booksellers 2. One house for the sale 
of strong drinks to 146 of the population, one baker's 
shop to 69 7* one butcher's shop to 398, one bookseller's 
to 1393. 

"Linlithgow, — county town of Linlithgowshire : has 
a population of 4189. Licensed houses for the sale of 
strong drink 42, bakers' shops 13, butchers' shops 
6, booksellers' shops 2. To the entire population there 
is one house for sale of strong drink to every 99, one 
baker's shop to 322, one butcher's shop to 698, one 
bookseller's shop to 2094. 

" Oban, — one of the principal towns of Argyllshire : 
population 1742. Houses licensed to sell strong drink 
15, bakers 4, butchers 12, booksellers 2. To the 
entire population there is one house for the sale of strong 
drinks to 116, one baker's shop to 435, one butcher's 
shop to 145, one bookseller's to 871. 

"Paisley, — town in Renfrewshire: population 47>951. 
Licensed houses for sale of strong drinks 216, bakers' 
shops 36, butchers' shops 64, booksellers* shops 9. 
To the entire population there is one house for the sale 
of strong drinks to 222, one baker's shop to 1322, one 
butcher's shop to 749, one bookseller's shop to 5328. 

"Peebles, — county town of Peeblesshire : population 
1982. Houses licensed to sell strong drink 19, bakers 5 
shops 4, butchers' shops 5, booksellers' 2. There is 



38 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

one house for the sale of strong drinks to every 104 of 
the entire population, one baker's shop to 495, one 
butcher's shop to 396, one bookseller's to 991. 

"Perth, — county town of Perthshire : population 
23,814. Houses licensed for the sale of strong drinks 
174, bakers' shops 25, butchers' shops 25, book- 
sellers' 14. To the entire population there is one house 
for sale of strong drinks to 137, one baker's shop to 953, 
one butcher's shop to 953, one bookseller's to 1701, 

" Rothesay,— county town of Buteshire : population 
7106. Has 39 houses licensed to sell strong drinks, 
12 bakers, 7 butchers, 4 booksellers. Of the population, 
there is one baker's shop to 592, one butcher's shop to 
1015, one bookseller's to 1776. 

" Selkirk, — county town of Selkirkshire : population 
3313. Licensed houses for the sale of strong drink 27, 
bakers 7; butchers 4, booksellers 2. To every 122 
of the population there is one house for the sale of strong 
drinks, to 473 one baker's shop, to 828 one butcher's 
shop, to 1656 one bookseller's shop. 

" Stirling, — county town of Stirlingshire, with a 
population of 12,357 : has 91 houses licensed for the 
sale of strong drinks, 17 bakers' shops, 11 butchers' 
shops, 7 booksellers'. There is one house for the sale of 
strong drinks to 133 of the population. 

"Stranraer, — town of Wigtownshire : population 
5692. Licensed houses for the sale of strong drinks 54, 
bakers 8, butchers 7, booksellers 4. There is one 
house for the sale of strong drink to 105 of the popula- 
lation, one baker's shop to 711, one butcher's shop to 
813, one bookseller's to 1423. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORIES-DAY. 39 

Cf Tain, — royal burgh in Ross and Cromartyshire : 
population 2588. Houses licensed to sell strong drinks 
20, bakers' shops 4, butchers' shops 2, booksellers' 
3. There is one house for the sale of strong drinks to 
129, one butcher's shop to 1294, one baker's shop to 647, 
and one bookseller to 863 of the entire population. 

" Wick, — chief town of Caithness-shire : population 
6722. Has houses licensed to sell strong drink 51, 
bakers 6, butchers 8, booksellers 2. There is one 
house for the sale of strong drink to every 132 of the 
entire population, one baker to 1220, one butcher to 
840, one bookseller to 3361. 

" Wigtown, — county town of Wigtownshire : popula- 
tion 2230. Houses licensed for the sale of strong drink 
17, bakers 5, butchers 3, booksellers 3 ; giving one 
house for sale of strong drinks to 131 of the population, 
one baker's shop to 446, one butcher's shop to 743, one 
bookseller's to 743. 

" From the above notices, we cannot fail to remark the 
strong hold which the drinking system must have on the 
people of Scotland. In the 40 cities and towns given, 
we find a population of 885,111? or approaching to one- 
third of the entire census given of the country. In these 
885,111 we find 5,925 persons holding licences for the 
sale of strong drinks, being at the rate of 1 in every 149 

Of bakers . . . . 902, or 1 in every 981 

Of butchers .. .. 829, or I in every 1067 

Of booksellers . . 388, or 1 in every 2281 

So that for every baker we have fully 6| sellers of 

strong drink ; 



40 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

For every butcher we have fully 7 l-7th do. 

And for every bookseller we have fully 15| do." 

There is no department of the subject of dese- 
cration of the Lord's-day concerning the demora- 
lizing and debasing effects of which there is greater 
unanimity of opinion than the sale of intoxicating 
drinks on the Lord V day : every town and village 
in the kingdom loudly testifies to it. Why then 
should it not be prohibited, providing for cases 
of charity and mercy? All that is required to 
effect this object, so dear to the Christian and the 
philanthropist, is to cause this feeling to be reflected 
in our Legislature, by frequent and persevering peti- 
tions, supported by private and public appeals to in- 
dividual members of Parliament, praying for its pro- 
hibition. It seems preposterous to build prisons with 
one hand for the punishment of crime, and with the 
other to hold forth incentives to its commission by 
sanctioning the sale of intoxicating drinks on the 
Lord's-day. 

Much more might be said on this important sub- 
ject ; but as the evil complained of is so manifest, it 
is unnecessary ; and as it would be inconsistent with 
the brevity the author is desirous to study in this 
paper, it is inexpedient to add more. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 41 



DESECRATION OF THE LORD'S-DAY 
IN THE POST-OFFICE. 

Another extensive desecration of the Lord's -day, 
which has recently occupied much of the public atten- 
tion, prevails in the Post-office department. It is one 
of peculiar importance, inasmuch as it is a national 
one, in the guilt of which all who do not protest 
against it are in some measure involved. The num- 
ber of men employed in the Post-office department 
has been variously stated. The author has been 
informed, on authority which can be relied on, that 
there are about 20,000 persons employed ; 15,000 
of them holding situations directly from the Post- 
master General. Although the amount of labour 
imposed on these persons on the LordVday has been 
diminished, yet it is still considerable, far beyond 
what necessity requires, and might be nearly alto- 
gether dispensed with. Some of the letter-carriers 
have to walk sixteen, seventeen, or even eighteen 
miles every day, the Sunday included. This state 
of things has produced its natural effects, in that 
great demoralization exists in the department, with 



42 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

of course many exceptions. Yet it can scarcely 
be expected that the man who is required by the 
condition of his situation to transgress the Fourth 
Commandment, and who is prevented using those 
appointed means through which religious and moral 
influence is mainly received, will be as honest, 
scrupulous, and conscientious in discharging his 
duty, and as capable of resisting temptation, as 
he will be who has these opportunities afforded, 
and his conscientious convictions respected in 
the arrangements of his public duties. The fol- 
lowing testimony will illustrate this point more 
powerfully than any arguments that can be used. 
Colonel Maberly, the Secretary to the Post-office, 
states, *that from 5th January, 1837, to 5th January, 
1842, £322,033, contained in letters, were lost 
in passing through the Post-office. (See Select Re- 
port of Committee of the House of Commons on 
Postage, date 1843, page 188, No. 1174, under 
head of " Terrific Plunder of Money-orders and 
Demoralization of the Post-office." 

The story of the dying letter-carrier, as narrated by 
the Rev. J. Pears of Bath, is also a striking proof of the 
consciousness the men entertain of the injurious 
effects* upon their religion and morals of the pri- 
vation of the privileges of the Lord's-day, neces- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORIES-DAY. 43 

sitated in many instances by their duties thereon. 
He says : 

" In December I found another man was very ill 5 I 
called on him once or twice ; I spoke to him of the un- 
satisfactory nature of inquiry in sickness and religion 
professed then for the first time. He replied to this 
effect : ' Do you mean to say that I cannot read my 
Bible, and learn these things now as well as any one 
else ? Why you kept me at work night and day, Sunday 
and all, for you are one of the public. I had, no time to 
go to church or chapel ; and who is to pay me for my 
soul ?' I will not say anything of the temper or igno- 
rance in which he asked that question. I hope that 
others will not hastily turn aside from their own share in 
the matter, to wonder in what spirit he made the remark. 
I wish those who have employed him and others 
would answer it. For my own part, I could not. It 
may be well for many of us seriously to think how many 
persons may have a right to cry out in our presence in 
the day of account, ' Who is to pay me for my 
soul ?' A defence which will not serve them may yet 
be a ruinous testimony against us. Soon after, the per- 
son here spoken of was somewhat suddenly removed by 
death. He is gone into the presence of God with his 
plea, ' Who is to pay for me for my soul ?* It will be 
well for those who employ the office on the Lord's-day 
to be prepared with their answer. The crowd comes to 
the office in the same selfish hurry ; — no one thinks of 
those who are gone to enter upon an eternity — and of 
what ? How infinitely worthless are all the letters that 



44 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

were ever put into an office, in comparison with one 
immortal soul !" (See Tract of the Lord's-day Obser- 
vance Society, entitled, " The Post-office considered in 
its Bearings on the Sabbath," pp. 2, 3.) 

The following extract from a letter addressed by a 
Clerk in the Post-office of a provincial tow T n to Mr. 
Melmoth Walters, of Bath, is a touching proof of 
the conviction entertained by the servants of the 
Post-office., that the desecration of the Lord's-day 
necessitated by their duties is the great source to 
which is mainly to be attributed those cases of crime 
which occur amongst them : — 

" Several of our number are young men from a great 
distance, never away from the influence of home and 
friends before 5 the night-work is vitiating to the consti- 
tution of many ; the few occasions when we have the 
bare hour of Divine Service free from labour, some are 
fatigued and hungry, some are anything but clean and fit 
to appear as others ; many positively never have an 
opportunity from one year's end to another. If, as the 
Judges of this land often labour to prove, Sabbath- 
breaking, or rather neglect of Sabbath privileges, and 
lack of spiritual instruction, is the most fruitful source of 
crime and dishonesty, is it to be wondered at that so 
many have « fallen ' in the Post-office ? In many cases, 
the first spiritual care they have received for years, is 
given them on their first Sabbath's rest in the felon's cell. 
In the Customs' Service, where the nature of the duties 
does not call for it as necessary, they have their Sun 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORDVDAY. 45 

days, and a month's leave of absence every year. The 
servants of everybody, we do not expect them to care for 
our bodies, but (excepting a few friends) we can truly 
say, No man hath cared for our souls." 

How painful the reflection, that this great depart- 
ment of a Christian nation should be conducted in 
violation of a great acknowledged principle of Divine 
and human law, and should be made instrumental 
in diffusing throughout the length and breadth of 
the land much of that pernicious literature to which 
we have already alluded. So that, like other dese- 
crations of the LordVday, not only does it incur 
this guilt, but it is the means of largely tempt- 
ing to other desecrations of it. It must be viewed 
not only in itself, but in its bearing on other 
departments : thus it gives rise to much labour 
on the LordVday, in the transmission of the mails, 
by holding forth temptations to Companies to run 
passenger-trains on Sunday. And w r ho can tell 
the amount of indirect Sunday labour caused by 
the Post-office, and what powerful inducements to 
such labour and to desecration generally would be 
removed, were that department altogether to pause 
on the LordVday ; and by so doing suffer the com- 
munity, whose movements are so dependent upon 
it, to pause likewise. The example of London, in 
which no letters are received or delivered on the 



46 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

Lord's-day, to the great satisfaction, not to say 
delight, of its numerous inhabitants, is a standing 
and unanswerable proof that the nation generally 
only waits for the Government to take the initiative 
in extending to all parts of the kingdom a similar 
arrangement. However, efforts must be unceasingly 
made to indicate that this feeling is the prevailing 
one of those who use the Post-office, by the adoption 
of petitions to Parliament praying for the entire 
cessation of Postal labour on the Lord's- day, and 
by numerous refusals to receive letters or news- 
papers on that day. 



RAILWAYS. 



DESECRATION OF THE LORD^S-DAY IN FORMING 
LINES OF RAILWAY. 

The Railway system has, since its origin, been, 
with little exception, a fearful instrument in 
desecrating the LordVday. Many of the existing 
lines were formed on Sundays much the same 
as on other days. The injury done in this way 
to the labouring classes of the community, par- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORd's-DAY. 47 

ticularly to those employed in making the lines, was 
great and permanent. Some idea may be formed of 
the extent to which the labouring population was 
affected by such conduct on the part of contractors, 
when it is known that in the year 1849, 103,816 
persons were employed on unfinished lines of rail- 
way. It is not asserted that all these persons were 
employed on the LordVday, but the number is 
mentioned in order to shew the importance to 
society generally of influencing so large a body of 
men beneficially, and teaching them a respect for 
religion and morals. 

The following extract from a paper read before 
the Statistical Society of Manchester, by Mr. Rober- 
ton, President of the Society, in the year 1846, will 
illustrate the disregard evinced for the spiritual and 
moral condition of these men, in some instances, 
and its degrading effects. Speaking of the men 
employed in the Summit Tunnel on the Sheffield and 
Manchester Railway, he says, — 

" I was informed that the labourers (averaging 900 
or 1000, besides women and children) were indeed in a 
demoralized state : ' and no wonder/ added my informant, 
for the w~ork goes on by night as well as by day, and on 
Sundays the same as on other days ; and such has been 
the case from the commencement.' A Moravian Mis- 
sionary who visited them, writes : ' Working on Sunday 
is constantly practised ;' and he further explains, not 



48 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

merely necessary work, such as pumping* water from the 
shafts, but the ordinary operations of blasting, digging, &c. 
" The forlorn condition, in a religious sense, of the 
hurt and the sick — of that portion of them who have not 
been carried to the Manchester Infirmary — cannot be 
imagined by those who are in the habit of regarding 
England as a Christian country, and that, however much 
people in health may neglect religion, the sick and the 
afflicted must, at all events, be within reach of its influ- 
ence and consolations. Nothing, indeed, can be further 
from the literal truth than such a fancy. There have 
been instances of destitution, in this particular, such, it 
is probable, as would scarcely occur in one of our most 
remote colonies. As an example, take the case of a fine 
powerful workman, who had the spine fractured in such 
a manner as to preclude all hope of recovery. Although 
this man pleaded again and again to have the Scriptures 
read to him, with religious counsel, the request was in 
vain ; for, after remaining many days in a sinking con- 
dition, he was suffered to expire without having received 
the least attention of the nature he so earnestly craved." 

Mr. Roberton remarks, that the Missionary's 
Journal, and the aspect and manners of the people, 
furnished evidence of a state of neglect and destitution, 
in reference to all that concerns religion, utterly dis- 
graceful to the directors of the railway and the con- 
tractors of the work, and to the public also, who 
for so many years heedlessly and criminally winked 
at it. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 49 

Mr Roberton computes the number of fatal acci- 
dents at the tunnel, since the commencement of the 
works, to have been 32; 140 severely wounded, 
and 400 cases of minor accident ; and states that 
many of these accidents occurred on the Lord's- day, 
owing to the greater prevalence of intoxication on 
that than on any other day. 

The Chester and Holyhead Railway, under the 
direction of S. M. Peto, Esq., M.P., was made with- 
out infringing on the sanctity of the LordVday; 
and Scripture readers were employed for the reli- 
gious instruction of the men, who in consequence 
presented, in moral conduct, a striking and most 
favourable contrast to men employed on lines on 
which work was done on the LordVday. 



Desecration of the LordVday on Lines of 
Railway open for Traffic. 

The number of miles of railway open for traffic in 
the United Kingdom, at the end of the year 1851, 
was 6978, on which were employed upwards of 
60,000 men. In the year ending June, 1849, 
60,398,159 passengers were conveyed by rail. 
Some idea will be formed of the extent to which 
the LordVdav is desecrated on these lines from 



50 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

the following statement of the number of occasions 
on which ordinary trains acted as disturbing causes 
on the Lord's-day in the United Kingdom, in the 
month of December 1851, on each line of railway. 
In this enumeration are included the occasions of 
trains departing from or arriving at termini, and 
touching at places on the several lines. This table, 
be it observed, does not include the luggage or the 
excursion trains, which add considerably to the 
labour of the men employed on those lines on 
which such trains are run. 

Analysis of Railway Trains, derived from the 
Tables for December, 1851, including occasions of 
ordinary Trains leaving or arriving at termini, and 
touching at places on the several lines on the 
LordVday : — 

Great Western , 590 

London and South Western 861 

London, Brighton, and South Coast. . 554 

South Eastern 559 

London and Blackwall 96 

North Kent 310 

Great Northern, 305 

Eastern Counties, East Anglian, and 
Eastern Union ..... . . . . 778 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 51 

London and North Western 1454 

St. Helens 5 and Runcorn Gap 48 

South Staffordshire 150 

North Staffordshire 311 

Birmingham &Shrewsbury,and Shrews- 
bury & Chester 117 

Birmingham, Wolverhampton, & Stour 

Valley • 54 

Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire 

Junction 97 

Chester & Holyhead and Mold Junction 109 

Bristol and Birmingham 163 

Leicester and Ashby to Burton 48 

Leicester, Syston, Stamford, and Peter- 

boro' 76 

Nottingham and Mansfield 40 

Derby, Nottingham, Newark, and 

Lincoln 93 

Erewash Valley Branch 4 

Birmingham, Tamworth, and Derby. . 52 

Richmond, York, and Darlington. ... 35 

Leeds and Colne 160 

Buxton, Manchester, Matlock, and 

Midland Junction 20 

Ambergate and Eastern Junction .... 4 

e2 



52 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

Leeds to Rugby 261 

Sheffield and Rotherham 6 

York, Newcastle, and Berwick 300 

Durham and Sunderland none 

Hartlepool and Sunderland none 

Newcastle and Shields 7 

Springwell and Jarrow 4 

Boroughbridge Branch 6 

Darlington to Hartlepool 48 

North Shields and Tynemouth Branch 23 

North British 64 

York and Harrogate none 

Barnsley, Sheffield, and Doncaster . . none 

Kendal and Windermere 12 

Kendal and Carlisle 3 

Cockermouth and Workington 4 

Whitehaven Junction 4 

Furness Railway and Barrow Branch 104 

Newcastle and Carlisle 88 

Maryport and Carlisle 44 

Stockton and Darlington — Wear Valley 

and Redcar 35 

Stockton and Hartlepool and Clarence none 

Shrewsbury and Stafford 48 

Leeds Northern 58 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 53 

York to Castleford 49 

Leeds and Selby — York and North 

Midland 36 

Hull, Selby, Leeds, and York 57 

Scarborough, Bridlington, and Hull 

Branch 22 

York, Scarboro', Pickering, and Whitby 

—Great North Midland 56 

Tadcaster, Wetherby, and Harrogate .. none 

Retford and Lincoln 20 

Lincoln and Hull 69 

Great Grimsby, New Holland, and Hull 84 

Barton to New Holland and Hull .... 36 
Manchester and Sheffield to Great 

Grimsby and Hull 250 

Huddersfield to Sheffield 60 

Ashton and Staley Bridge Branch .... 64 

Preston and Wyre 44 

Wakefield, Pontefract, and Goole .... 64 

Huddersfield and Holmfirth 28 

Manchester, Oldham, Huddersfield, and 

Leeds 339 

Wakefield and Barnsley, - 32 

Manchester, Bolton, and Preston • . . • 122 

Southport, Liverpool, and Bolton .... 137 



54 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

Southport and Waterloo District 130 

Selby and Market Weighton ••♦..... none 
Blackburn and Clitlieroe District .... 106 

York and Market Weighton none 

Asliton and Staley Bridge Branch.. 8 

Oldham Branch . . . * • 9 

Manchester and Bowden 72 

Manchester to North wich 16 

Burnley and Todmorden 30 

Liverpool, Preston, Manchester, Leeds, 

Bradford, (East Lancashire) 344 

Liverpool, Ormskirk, Preston, and Black- 
burn (East Lancashire) 50 

Glo'ster, Chepstow, Swansea (South 

Wales) 104 

Newport to Blaina (Western Valley) . . 44 

Taff Vale and Aberdare 64 

Swansea, Neath, Aberdare, and Merthyr 36 
Glasgow, Paisley, and Ayr, to London 

and the South none 

Glasgow, Paisley, and Ayr none 

London and Carlisle to Edinburgh and 

Glasgow 71 

Glasgow and Bathgate Junction none 

Ayr, Greenock, Glasgow, and Edinburgh 
— Caledonian local trains ........ 4 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD ? S-DAY. 55 

Glasgow and Hamilton none 

Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock — Cale- 
donian ...... none 

Glasgow and Barrhead — Caledonian . . none 

Ardrossan Railway none 

Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway . . none 

Paisley and Renfrew none 

Dunfermline and Alloa . . . none 

Tillicoultry Branch none 

Edinburgh and Glasgow none 

Monkland Branch . none 

Edinburgh and Bathgate none 

Campsie Branch ...... none 

Dalkeith and Hawick Branch 84 

Edinburgh and Portobello 4 

Perth and Glasgow (Scottish Central) none 

Alloa Branch (Scottish Central) none 

Edinburgh, Cupar, Dundee, and Perth 96 

Aberdeen and Forfar 36 

Edinburgh, Leith, and Granton Sec- 
tion none 

Edinburgh to Musselburgh none 

Perth and Forfar 8 

Dundee and Newtyle none 



56 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

Glasgow, Dumbarton, and Loch Lomond none 

Dundee and Arbroath 9 

Dundee and Broughty 6 

Dundee, Perth, and Aberdeen Junction 28 

Dublin and Belfast Junction 8 

Dundalk and Enniskillen • . . . . 5 

Dublin, Malahide, Drogheda, and Navan 74 
Dublin and Howth (Dublin and Drog- 
heda) 48 

Dublin, Kildare, Carlow, Limerick, and 

Cork (Great Southern and Western) 120 

Waterford and Kilkenny 28 

Dublin, Maynooth, and Gralway 81 

Cork and Bandon 20 

Waterford and Limerick • 32 

Londonderry and Enniskillen 24 

Belfast and Newtownards . • . • • 26 

Belfast and Holy wood • 14 

Dublin and Kingstown • . 70 

Prom the above it appears that there were, in the 
month of December, 1851, on lines of Railway in 
England, upwards of 10,000 ordinary occasions on 
which passengers were taken up and set down on 
the LordVday; 350 in Scotland ; and 550 in Ireland. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 57 

It will also be perceived that there are in England 
some lines on which no Sunday trains are run ; 
many in Scotland ; and that, in Ireland, trains run 
on every line on the LordVday. 



Trains (exclusive of Excursion and Luggage trains) 
which left and arrived at the different stations 
in London, on Sundays, in the month of December, 
1851 :— 

Trains. Departures. Arrivals. 

Great Western 12 6 6 

Waterloo Bridge 39 21 18 

London Bridge 164 81 83 

King's Cross (Great Nor- 
thern) 7 3 4 

Shoreditch 31 14 17 

Euston Square 14 7 7 

Fenchurch Street 96 48 48 

363 



Again, the reader is reminded that, in order to 
have an adequate notion of the evil effects of these 
trains, we must connect with them in our minds the 
vast variety and extent of labour to which each 
departure, arrival, or stoppage gives rise, not only 
to those persons employed on the railways, but to 



58 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

drivers, conductors, servants in hotels and inns, and 
many others. 

The Clergy at Swindon, and generally along that 
part of the Great Western line of railway, prepared 
the following Memorial, in the year 1847, for pre- 
sentation to the Directors. It will enable the reader 
to form some idea of the amount of Sunday's toil 
imposed on the men working the lines : — 

" To the Directors of the Great Western Railway. — 
We, the undersigned Clergymen, residing in the neigh- 
bourhood of the Great Western Railway, earnestly request 
your attention to the peculiar circumstances in which a 
vast number of persons employed by you are placed, with 
regard to their attendance at Divine worship on the 
Lord's-day. It appears from inquiries which have been 
made, that at each station, and along the line of railway, 
a very considerable number of men are so constantly en- 
gaged during the Sunday in their secular duties connected 
with the railway, that they are entirely precluded from 
attending Divine service ; and as an instance of the cor- 
rectness of this statement, we find that at Swindon and its 
immediate vicinity, eleven switchmen are at liberty only 
two Sundays in three months ; nine police constables 
have only one Sunday in seven to themselves ; nineteen 
porters have only one Sunday in four to themselves ; 
fourteen policemen, on beat between Swindon and Wan- 
tage Road, never have a Sunday at liberty. The aggre- 
gate number of long and short trains on the Sunday is 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD^S-DAY. 59 

eighteen, exclusive of goods trains, six of which we believe 
are not under the control of the Company. — Your Me- 
morialists, deeply impressed with the solemn duty of 
observing the Lord's-day, " to keep it holy," and of 
affording to others the advantages which result from obe- 
dience to the Divine precept as respects the Christian 
Sabbath, lament its desecration in any manner. If, how- 
ever, the running of any trains on Sunday be obligatory 
on the Company, your Memorialists would, with great 
respect, but with the earnestness becoming their sacred 
office, request that the number may not exceed that which 
is so required ; and would express a hope that the time 
of transmitting those trains may be so arranged as not to 
prevent the attendance of any person on the public wor- 
ship of Almighty God. — As it is obvious that the per- 
sons in your service are exposed to more than the ordinary 
risk of life, your Memorialists would ask, Is it not an un- 
christian practice to deprive them of one of the most 
effectual means for preparing for death and judgment ? 
— Your Memorialists further deprecate the evil com- 
plained of, not only as prejudicial to the servants of the 
Company, but inasmuch as the demoralizing influence of 
bad example is too apparent in the parishes adjacent to 
the line of railway." 

The Sunday excursion-trains are a new and 
alarming feature of the railway system as regards 
its demoralizing influence. By means of these 
trains, a kind of equalization of the immorality of 
the community is being effected, our country towns 



60 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

and villages being by their means inoculated with the 
vice and crime of the worst parts of our metropo- 
litan and provincial population. 

Temptation to Sunday trading — to the sale of in- 
toxicating liquors — to licentiousness on the Lord's- 
day, are held forth by the introduction of large 
bodies of persons unrestrained by local influences 
into the neighbourhoods whither these trains carry 
them. The place of worship and the Sunday-school 
are deserted, in order that the shop may be attended 
to ; and curiosity, or worse feelings, are indulged. 
Thus, in order to subserve the interested views of 
the proprietors of railways, public morality is sacri- 
ficed. If railway desecration be not resolutely re- 
sisted, there is reason to apprehend that no agency 
of evil, hitherto at work amongst us, will prove 
more successful in destroying a regard for the sanc- 
tity of the Lord's-day, and at the same time in 
giving strength and permanency to other and 
kindred modes of Sabbath-breaking. 

The character of railway desecration is daringly 
aggressive : not satisfied with evading or disobeying 
the law, it has actually on two remarkable occasions 
sought for legislative enactments to render the run- 
ning of Sunday trains compulsory on directors ; and 
in one instance has been successful, namely, when a 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 61 

Bill was passing through Parliament to amalga- 
mate the Bristol & Gloucester and Birmingham & 
Gloucester Railway Company with the Midland 
Railway Company, in the year 1846, a clause was 
on that occasion introduced and embodied in the 
Bill, requiring the Directors to run at least one 
train each way on Sundays. Before the amalgama- 
tion, no trains were run on the Lord's-day between 
Bristol, Gloucester, and Birmingham. The other 
case referred to, was the introduction of a Bill 
by Mr. Locke, which proposed to make it com- 
pulsory on directors to carry passengers on Sundays 
by the mail trains. Happily, owing to the exertions 
of the Lord's-day Observance Society, and other 
friends of the observance of the LordVday, this 
Bill, which in its object was so contrary to the first 
principles of liberty of conscience, being opposed by 
the Government, was thrown out. 

Every one who is interested in the religious wel- 
fare of his country, on reflecting on the fearful 
disregard of the Lord's- day evinced, with few ex- 
ceptions, in the conduct of the railway system, as 
proved by the facts stated above, — a disregard affect- 
ingthe moral condition of the whole kingdom, — must 
feel that it is an imperative duty to endeavour to put 
some check upon the progress of the evil. 



62 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

The friends of the observance of the LordVday 
in Scotland have exerted themselves nobly, and with 
considerable success, in opposing the running of 
trains on the LordVday in that country. It will 
be seen, from the tables given above, that on many 
lines of railway in Scotland no trains are run on the 
LordVday. In those instances in which they have 
been unsuccessful in putting a stop to the running 
of Sunday trains, the failure has been mainly owing 
to a majority of English shareholders. 



SALE OF TOBACCO AND SNUFF ON 
THE LORD'S-DAY. 

This is a part of the subject on which we shall 
not say much. The extent of the evil will be stated 
in few words ; but it is not therefore an evil of small 
magnitude : on the contrary, we know that shops 
for the sale of tobacco on the LordVday are, for the 
most part, places whither the dissipated and idle 
resort, and in which immoral and secular publica- 
tions, of the description before referred to, are gene- 
rally sold. In the year 1848, 209,537 persons took 
out licences for the sale of tobacco ; or, in other 
words, nearly 209,537 of these places are open on 
Sunday, employing some 300,000 persons, or more ; 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 63 

and each place so open being also a centre of temp- 
tation, to which the idle and dissipated resort. In 
the metropolis alone there are nearly 1000 of these 
shops, which are for the most part open on Sunday, 
in which low publications are sold. The following 
extract is from evidence taken before the Committee 
of the House of Commons appointed to inquire into 
Sunday trading in the Metropolis, 1850, page 85. 
Mr. James Beaumont, a tobacconist, says : 

" I think there is a greater trade in cigars on the Sun- 
day than on other days ;" and being asked, " Are not a 
number of young men, who are released from business on 
the Saturday, very apt to buy cigars on Sunday ?" he re- 
plied, " Yes ; and the very young men I should be glad 
to see deprived of the opportunity of getting them." He 
further says, " I have had children as high as this table 
brought to me by their mothers for cigars, and their 
mothers have given them cigars." 

It certainly is difficult to understand why this 
branch of traffic should be permitted on the LordV 
day, as no conceivable ground of necessity and cha- 
rity can be pleaded in its behalf : it, on the contrary, 
presents an aspect of unmixed evil, and is highly 
prejudicial to the morals of the population, particu- 
larly to the youth of the operative class, to appren- 
tices, shopmen, &c. 



64 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

DESECRATION OF THE LORD'S-DAY ON 
CANALS AND NAVIGABLE RIVERS. 

This is a description of desecration of the LordV 
day which has been long in existence, and which 
unhappily supplies ample illustration of the demora- 
lizing and degrading effects, on a numerous class, 
of systematic exclusion from the opportunities and 
privileges of the LordVday. The remarks of the 
late Baron Gurney, when passing sentence of death 
on two of these men for an atrocious crime, at 
assizes held in Stafford, some years ago, are well 
known, namely, — that there was no body of 
men so destitute of all moral culture as boatmen : 
they knew no Sabbath, and were possessed of no 
means of religious instruction. That the men them- 
selves are sensitively alive to their degradation, and 
its principal source, has been again and again testi- 
fied to, by those most conversant with them. On 
one occasion a dying boatman observed to his mas- 
ter, when endeavouring to give him religious in- 
struction and consolation, " You forced me to break 
one of God's commands ; and when I broke one, I 
thought there was little use in trying to keep the 
others." The remark is said to have produced such 
an effect on the employer, that he withdrew from 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD ; S-DAY. 65 

this line of business. There are upwards of 4000 
miles of inland navigation in the kingdom, on which 
are employed nearly 100,000 men, the great majority 
of whom are deprived of the blessings of the LordV 
day: they are consequently, with their wives and 
children, generally speaking, in a state of deplorable 
ignorance of the Gospel and of the power of reli- 
gion. Great exertions have been made in their 
behalf by a few benevolent individuals, amongst 
whom stands foremost, as the oldest and most active 
friend of this neglected class, the Rev. John Davies, 
incumbent of St. Clement's, Worcester ; the success 
of whose efforts only causes to appear in bolder 
relief the guilt of past neglect, and the duty of more 
general attention to their condition. Chiefly owing 
to the exertions of Mr. Davies, floating chapels have 
been erected for the instruction of boatmen at Wor- 
cester and Gloucester, at which they attend as oppor- 
tunity permits; and a striking moral improve- 
ment has in many instances followed; shewing 
most clearly the cause of their degradation, and 
its remedy, namely, the restoration of Sabbath 
privileges. 



66 STATISTICS AND FACTS 



STEAM BOATS. 



The desecration of the LordVday by steam boats 
is very great, particularly in London. 

The following is a list of the steam boats plying 
on the Thames : — 

Up the river — Hampton Court. — The Locomotive. 

For Richmond. — Era, Echo, Eclipse, Queen. 

Kew — Upper Pier, above Chelsea. — Waverley, 
Childe Harold, Lallah Rookh, Citizen I, Citizen K^ 
Citizen L. 

From London Bridge to Chelsea. — Citizen A, 
Citizen B, Citizen C, Citizen D, Citizen E, Citizen P, 
Citizen G, Citizen H, Citizen M, Citizen N, Day- 
light, Twilight, Moonlight, Starlight, Bride, Bride- 
groom, Bridesmaid, Matrimony, Wedding Ring, 
Bachelor. 

London Bridge to Westminster. — London Pride, 
Sunflower, Dahlia, Moss Rose, Eorget-me-not, Blue 
Bell, Pink, 

London Bridge to Adelphi. — Ant, Bee, Sunbeam,, 
Emmet. 

Hungerford to Woolwich A A Pier down the river, 
calling at London Bridge. — Ariel, Nymph, Naiad^ 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 67 

Fairy, Sylph, Witch, Syren, Flora, Niobe, Sybil, 
Dryad, Waterman 1, Waterman 2, Waterman 3, 
Waterman 4, Waterman 5, Waterman 6, Waterman 
7, Waterman 8, Waterman 10, Waterman 11, 
Waterman 12. 

From Adelphi Pier to Southend and Sheerness. — 
Sons of the Thames, Queen of the Thames, Queen. 

For Gravesend direct from London Bridge Wharf. 
— Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire, Gem, Diamond, Topaz. 

From Blackmail Pier. — Jupiter, Star, Satellite, 
Meteor, Vesper. 

From North Woolwich across the river to Woolwich 
Pier. — Kent, Essex. 

These vessels, 80 in number, employ about 500 
men to manage the boats and the machinery : their 
daily work is continued through seven days succes- 
sively, without a Sabbath rest : their moral and phy- 
sical condition may therefore be easily imagined. 
Mr. Swan, superintendent of machinery to the 
Eastern and Continental Steam Packet Company, so 
vividly describes the condition of the men employed 
in the steam vessels belonging to that Company, 
which ply between Folkestone and Boulogne, conse- 
quent on their being deprived of the privileges of 
the Sabbath, in a memorial which he addressed to 
f2 



68 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

the Chairman of the Company, that a few extracts 
from it will not be inappropriate here, as they may be 
considered descriptive of the class generally when 
similarly situated. 

" I beg to express my deep conviction, that a greater 
amount of active service could be performed, if the ships* 
crews could be insured their Sabbath-day's rest, than 
ever will be realized by the best possible arrangement 
without it -, and this increased amount of service would 
be performed at least as efficiently as, and certainly more 
heartily than, at present. This is just equivalent to say- 
ing, that eight boats could accomplish as much work in 
six days as a greater number could in seven 5 and that is 
what I mean to affirm. By not systematically depriving 
men of the rest which the human constitution as peremp- 
torily requires as the law of God demands, you would 
be so much better served, that it would be equivalent to 
getting another boat upon the station. By exacting 
seven days' work, you get less than six days' labour 
This is a truth that has been widely verified, and the 
general correctness of the principle has met with almost 
universal acceptation ; the recent appreciation of it has 
led, I am informed, to the abolishing of Sunday working 
in the public works of France. Now it is just the same 
with a machine as a steam-packet, and with machinery 
in general, as it is with the men who work it : when 
officials get fagged, jaded, and dispirited, whether these 
officials be stokers, sailors, servants, engineers, or officers, 
the wheels turn heavily, whether by land or water. It 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 69 

is matter of notoriety that those crafts which are pur- 
sued through seven days in the week, are followed by an 
almost proverbially indolent set of men, and after a 
somewhat sluggish, spiritless, and perfunctory fashion. 

" You must not suppose that a day's work of a man is 
a fixed and constant quantity. Under certain circum- 
stances a man will put forth three times his average 
amount of exertion, without feeling much fatigue ; and 
while I do not intend to propound a recipe to enable any 
one to extract the maximum quantity of work from his 
servants, I will tell you plainly how to get the least pos- 
sible, and that done with the greatest grudge : just keep 
them at it Saturday and Sunday from March to October, 
and Sunday and Saturday from October to March ; and 
if you do not succeed, very completely, in damping the 
spirits, marring the efficiency, and destroying the energy 
of the best men in the service, and rendering thoroughly 
useless all the worst, you will at least have the satisfac- 
tion of having done what you could. 

"Mainly to the effect of Sunday sailing do I attribute 
the circumstance that I have had occasion to part, in one 
way or other, in the last few months, with not fewer than 
eighteen stokers and coal- trimmers, some of them first- 
rate hands, being equal, in point of number, to the entire 
complement. It is this that gives force to every other 
temptation, because it removes the most efficient cor- 
rective, if not the absolute antidote. Once placed be- 
yond the conservative and ameliorating influence of the 
Sabbath, nothing else but deterioration, more or less 
gradual, can be expected, and for the most part nothing 



70 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

else takes place : and when the men get addicted by 
degrees to tippling, drunkenness, and smuggling — when 
they turn indolent, careless, negligent, and insubordi- 
nate — you may not suppose that such a process can take 
place without both risk and loss to the service ; nor can 
any thing short of a very unequivocal necessity be deemed 
a sufficient reason for maintaining a practice that natu- 
rally issues in such a result. 

" Now it appears to me, that to one description of evil 
incidental to Sunday working, or Sunday sailing, that of 
apparent listlessness and heartlessness for work, or inap- 
titude for enduring great fatigue, arising from the lassi- 
tude and physical exhaustion produced by un intermit- 
tent work, the rest of the Sabbath affords a substantial 
and material antidote ; while to the other fruitful sources 
of evil above-named, a moral remedy, of still greater 
efficacy, is to be found in a properly spent Sabbath. I 
do not speak at random, when I talk of the blundering 
results of Sunday working, or the equally blundering 
fashion and tortoise-like speed at which the Sunday 
workers and Sunday pleasure- takers contrive to sidle 
through their work on a Monday morning. Put it in 
my power to apply such a preventive, and such a cure ; 
give me the Sabbath-day, not only for myself and the 
factory hands, but also for the engine crews, and in due 
time, with the help of the various engineers, I will give 
you a very different set of stokers, and that, perhaps, 
without changing three hands out of the twenty. I do 
not know another remedy, and I despair of finding one 
out. Chance, or clever management, may do a good deal ; 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 71 

but if ever I, or any one else, succeed in forming a corps 
of trustworthy, efficient, Sabbath-breaking stokers, it will 
be, to say the least, something new. The very qualities 
that seem to neutralize the baneful effects of such a 
system, subject the men themselves to have their feelings 
wounded and mortified ; and could you but apprehend 
the extent to which this is the case, did your acquaint- 
ance with the subject enable you to sympathize with the 
keen sense of injustice, the moral degradation, and the 
bitter hardship entailed on not a few, by the virtual abro- 
gation of that blessed boon to a labour- cursed world — 
the rest of the holy Sabbath — you would pause before 
you admitted either the policy or the cogency of the 
necessity that prompts to it. 

" The truth is, I have not arrived hastily at the con- 
clusion, that there is scarcely a man in the Company's 
employ, whose services are much worth retaining, who 
does not heartily detest the Sunday sailing and Sunday 
working ; and it consists with my knowledge that several 
of those who, in your opinion, and in the estimate of the 
public, do the greatest credit to the service, and could 
least be spared, are just the individuals who are most 
sickened at the slavery of it. 

"I should mention, however, that of the engineers, 
some would willingly work a whole night in the week to 
avoid Sunday sailing ; some would venture double and 
quadruple trips ; and another, or others, have expressed 
to me, in the strongest terms (as I have attempted to do), 
the mischievous effects upon the firemen of the uninter- 
mittent work, in rendering them heartless, sluggish, and 



72 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

careless ; and their own sense of its deteriorating influence 
over all subjected to it. 

" According to my estimate, then, the expediency view 
of the balance-sheet runs thus : — Resting on the Sab- 
bath-day — Creditor — first, a greater amount of effective 
service accomplished with a not greater number of 
steamers : because there would be, secondly, better men, 
better conduct, better discipline, less smuggling, less 
tippling, less shifting of hands, greater satisfaction with 
the service, greater spirit, zeal, and interest in it, greater 
bodily vigour and capability of enduring fatigue, less 
waste of fuel, less risk of burning or blowing up the 
boilers, or of setting the ship on fire, less anxiety and un- 
easiness and vague apprehension of disaster, less likeli- 
hood of shedding innocent blood, or, briefly and summa- 
rily, to put the truth for once in its proper light, as the 
truth ought to be spoken (impugn it whoso list), there 
would be more of the blessing that maketh rich, and 
there would be less of the curse of the Almighty. 

" I do not believe that the plea of necessity is ever 
urged, or ever thought of, by three in a hundred of those 
that travel on Sunday, or could be consistently main- 
tained by one in ten thousand. We are not constituted 
judges of the validity of the moral necessity that directs 
the passengers ; grant, for argument sake, that there 
does at times exist something akin to absolute necessity 
on their part, that does not necessarily imply an obliga- 
tion on our part to carry them over, any more than the 
circumstance of a man being in imminent necessity of a 
pair of shoes on Sunday, would imply that all the shoe- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 73 

makers in Folkestone were to keep their shops open on 
that day. May there not exist, I would ask, a counter- 
necessity on our part, that preponderates a thousandfold, 
forbidding us to leave port ? — even the necessity of 
caring for hundreds of never-dying souls. Is the neces- 
sity to be all on the side of the passengers, and to have 
no respect to those w r ho carry them over — no regard to 
the word that says, ' In seed time and in harvest thou 
shalt rest ?' And truly it is a one-sided and equivocal 
necessity indeed, that binds us over to sin against God 
and man, in order to keep the passage open, and yet neces- 
sitates us only to carry over those that can afford to pay !!! 

" There is, however, one argument for the Sunday 
trips which, I feel, demands more serious consideration 
than I have yet bestowed upon it. Perhaps it is the only 
argument that admits of such : it is this — ' The passage 
between Folkestone and Boulogne lies right in the world's 
highway ; Folkestone is, in a certain limited sense, the 
key of the East. It may one day stand in the same 
relation to Europe that it now does to China. To shut 
up such a thoroughfare is something like an outrage 
against the civilized world.' 

" Now there are various considerations which to my 
mind appear to compose a conclusive reply to the above ; 
but there is one in particular which is better than all the 
rest, for in some sense it includes them all : I mean, the 
supreme authority and express command of the word of 
God, by whose adjudicature alone we must stand or falL 
That is the true necessity — paramount, unalterable, su- 
preme — which neither appeals to petty expediency, nor 



74 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

defers to popular clamour $ a necessity that proclaims 
its own authority, and admits of no compromise. For- 
getfulness of it cannot plant us beyond its domain, nor 
disregard raise us above its control. The Fourth Com- 
mandment is as much the word of the living God to-day 
as it was when Mount Sinai shivered beneath the trum- 
pet peal; and the same satisfactory reason, the same 
authoritative sanction, that detained three million Jewish 
wanderers, for near six whole years of Sabbath days, 
among the parched coasts of Petraea, still holds as good 
as ever to this present hour, for resting from our works 
on the Sabbath day ; and it is at once reason and autho- 
rity, and necessity so high, that the mind of man can 
neither own a higher nor comprehend a greater. And 
lest men should count it a hard saying, or an irksome 
burden, c Thou shalt do no work, 5 it is not only said, 
' God rested from his works/ but also, ' God blessed 
the Sabbath day ;' and that such is the case, God's pro- 
vidence indicates as emphatically as his word declares ; 
that providence that comprehends alike the fall of an em- 
pire and the flight of a sparrow, the transactions of an 
hour and the cycles of the stellar system, has not left it 
doubtful whether or no the observance of the Sabbath be 
accompanied by a blessing, and the breach of it by a 
curse. If Providence ever spoke in language that could 
not be misinterpreted, or uttered a voice that none might 
disregard, it was when it issued its commentary upon the 
Fourth Commandment." 

Mr. Swan's memorial had the effect of leading to 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 75 

a suspension of the sailing of the steam-packets of the 
South Eastern and Continental Steam Packet Com- 
pany on the LordVday, and with the happiest results 
as regards the moral, social, and physical improvement 
of the men employed ; as will appear from the follow- 
ing communication addressed to the Author by Mr. 
Swan, some months after the suspension of labour 
on the LordVday had taken place : — 

"lam glad to say that nothing has occurred to belie 
my anticipations in the slightest as to the results of the 
Sabbath resting. 

" I have reason to believe that among all the classes 
of the population in Folkestone (a town of 5000 inha- 
bitants) the mechanics and stokers are the most regular 
in attendance upon public worship. I have indeed 
succeeded in the main, in getting a set of most 
efficient, trustworthy men, without having occasion to 
discharge more than one or two ; and even then for only 
revenue offences, which, morally speaking, are mere 
trifles. The stokers are now almost looked up to by the 
rest of the inhabitants, instead of being regarded as the 
scum of society, as in some other parts. Their names 
are even not unfrequently dignified with the honorary 

title. Mr. , for instance, has taken a new house 

in an elevated part of the town, near to where Mr. ■ 

resides ; while Mr. , the stoker, who nearly sunk 

the Prince Ernest, has just procured a situation at Dover 



76 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

as receiver of carrier pigeons' expresses at ^6130 per 
annum. 

" The men in some of the packets are now performing 
the double service without relief, to which I alluded in 
my memorandum, and altogether there is a remarkable 
appearance of comfort and satisfaction and prosperity 
among all hands. 

" Last season there were about six times as many 
hands discharged for bad conduct as have been during 
the same number of months this season. 

" I have not for months been cognizant of a single case 
of intoxication, nor have I chanced by any accident to 
overhear profane or improper language during many 
months. 

" It is, in the providence of God, to Mr. MacGregor's 
matchless address and firmness that we are indebted for 
this discontinuance of the Sunday sailing. It is one of 
the noblest instances of wise management I have ever 
known ; he has carried the matter in a wonderful man- 
ner, and merits, as he has met with, the deepest grati- 
tude from all concerned." 

It is painful to be compelled to add, that the Com- 
pany, influenced, it is to be supposed, by the demand 
on the part of tlie public, and also, possibly, by the 
fear of exciting opposition, have again caused their 
packets to sail on the Lord's-day. 

The number of persons who seek their own plea* 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORDVDAY. 77 

sure, on the LordVday in the steam boats that ply 
on the Thames in the summer months is something 
enormous : the Author has not been able to obtain 
such information as would enable him to form any- 
thing like a correct average. It was stated in one of 
the Quarterly Papers of the LordVday Observance 
Society, that on Sunday the 12th July, 1849, 324,000 
persons embarked and landed from the steam boats 
plying between London Bridge and Chelsea. It 
must be remembered that these steam boats are all 
floating public-houses, in which intoxicating liquors 
are sold on the LordVday. 

The condition of Scotland presents a pleasing 
contrast to that of England, in that few or no plea- 
sure steam boats sail there on the LordVday. 



EMPLOYMENT OP OMNIBUS SERVANTS 
AND CAB DRIVERS ON THE LORD'S-DAY. 

The condition of Omnibus Servants is one fearful 
to contemplate. Living in the very midst of the light 
of the Gospel, and coming in daily contact with the 
most civilized aud benevolent community in the 
world, they receive not at our hands the same 
amount of consideration as the heathen, from whose 



78 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

ignorance they are little removed, and are treated as 

though they had no souls; indeed, worse than a 

humane man would treat his beast. 

The number of these men was, in October, 

1851 :— 

Drivers 1907 

Conductors 2137 

Watermen 350 

Supernumeraries 2000 

Horse-keepers 3000 

9394 



Their average hours of daily labour, the LordVday 
included, are 13, 14, and even sometimes 16 hours 
a day. We see the fruits of this state of things, 
in that there is no class of men who more fre- 
quently appear before our Metropolitan magistrates 
than omnibus drivers and conductors. 

The following is a Copy of Evidence relative to the 
Hours of Labour of Omnibus Servants, taken by Mr. 
Lilwell, secretary of the Early Closing Society. 

« 9 coachman, examined. There are 10,000 per- 



sons employed as coachmen and conductors of metro- 
politan omnibuses. Commences work at 10 in the morn- 
ing, finishes at 12 at night. Has 40 minutes allowed 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORd's-DAY. 79 

for meals. Has no other respite during the whole time, 
all week days are alike, and Sunday also during the sum- 
mer season. Runs one journey less on Sundays during 
the winter ; this admits of a little time for rest, but not 
for attending a place of Divine worship. " 

" , conductor. Has been employed for 18 years 

as a conductor, during which period has not attended 
worship more than about six times. Has wished to go 
regularly, having been brought up to attend church. " 

" , employed from Paddington to Blackwall. 

Commences at 9 o'clock a.m., leaves off at about half-past 10 
p.m. Has 40 minutes for meals. On^ Sunday commences at 
half-past 10 a.m., finishes at half-past 1 1 p.m. On this day 
has an hour for dinner, and the same for tea. Does not 
attend a place of worship oftener than once or twice a 
year. Believes it to be a common thing for persons to 
ride on Sundays to their places of worship." 

" , employed as conductor from Hammersmith 

to the Bank, from 20 minutes to 8 in the morning till 
half-after 8 p.m. Has 55 minutes for meals. On Sundays 
has no opportunity to attend a place of worship. 

Knows a coachman of the name of , who will 

never drive on a Sunday. Knows many persons who 
make a practice of riding on Sunday from Hammersmith 
to Hornton-street chapel and back again. Also from 
Kensington to St. Mary's church, Fulham. 

" , coachman from Paddington to Whitechapel, 

commences at half- past 8 a.m., finishes quarter-past 9 p.m. 
Has 34 minutes for meals. On Sunday the same, excepting 
that he has two extra hours for rest, &c, but at two dif- 



80 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

ferent parts of the day ; attends church about 5 or 6 
times in the year — would go oftener if he could, having 
been brought up to attend church. 

« 1 coachman from Mile End to Oxford Street. 

From 9 in the morning till 1 o'clock at night. Has \\ 
hours for meals. Sundays same as other days. On 
being asked for a day's rest, it is a frequent observation 
of masters in reply, " Rest when you are dead.' 9 It is 
a great difficulty to get away for a day, even by finding a 
substitute. 

« 9 conductor from Barnes to Kensington, from 

9 a.m. till 12 p.m. Has 45 minutes for meals. The 
same on three Sundays out of four as on other days. 
Has a respite from 9 till half-past 1 1 on the fourth Sun- 
day. Has a wife and two children, seldom sees the latter 
but when they are in bed. Stated that the religious per- 
sons of Islington were proverbial for not riding in omni- 
buses on Sundays." 

" , coachman from Paddington to Whitechapel, 

much the same as the one who first gave his evidence." 

The following is from an omnibus servant : — 
" Some omnibus servants work 14, some 16, and some 
nearly 20 hours. Those who work nearly 20 hours are 
railway omnibus drivers and conductors $ they commence 
at four in the morning, and continue, with the exception 
of about an hour and a half, until 12 o'clock at night. 
But the average is about 15 hours, out of which, on some 
roads, they have only about seven minutes to dinner, and 
no more time scarceall day. On some roads they have about 
20 minutes between each journey, but are only allowed 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 81 

ten minutes out of the twenty for meals. The other 
minutes are spent in the Conductor standing at the door 
of his Omnibus, and the Coachman standing at his 
horses' heads, or sitting on the box in the wet and cold. 
Sundays are the same as other days. The Proprietors 
do not allow a servant to rest unless he is exceedingly 
ill and cannot work ; then he must pay a substitute to 
work for him. There is no Proprietor in Loudon who 
discontinues any portion of his business on the Sabbath 
in order to give his servants rest for religious or physical 
improvement : when any portion of their business is dis- 
continued, it is owing to the weather or the scarcity of 
passengers. I think, since the first introduction of 
omnibuses, there never was known fifty omnibuses quiet 
on any Sabbath-day. The horse-keepers, some of them, 
commence work at six in the morning, and do not leave- 
off until past midnight ; having to labour the whole of 
the time, Sundays and all 'days, cleaning, feeding, and 
attending to ten dirty horses every day, also their 
harness : they never have any time set aside for their 
meals, generally taking them when they can, and then 
in the stables : in fact, some I have known to sleep in 
the stable upon the hay for months together, never 
caring for home, body, or soul, through the labour that 
has been imposed upon them. To be brief, the Pro- 
prietors care nothing for their servants ; but their horses 
are generally taken great care of, not working more 
than about three hours out of twenty-four ; but the men 
work fifteen or sixteen. The masters say the horses 
come from the pocket, — the men cost nothing. In fact, 
G 



82 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

the treatment the poor creatures receive is shocking, and. 
I think, a disgrace to a Christian land. I have known 
men's wives to be dying, their children to be dying, or 
relatives dying, and time refused them to visit the 
afflicted, or to pay the last tribute of respect to a departed 
friend or relative. The man who earns most money is 
the most cared for, regardless of his general behaviour 
or character ; the chief offence a man can commit, in 
the estimation of the Proprietors, is not bringing suf- 
ficient money to them, whether they can earn it or 
not : in fact, men of honesty, good behaviour, and re- 
spectability, are dismissed at a moment's notice, some- 
times in the middle of the day, because they could not 
get sufficient passengers to ride or money sufficient to 
satisfy their employers. This shews the cause of 
quarrels and rivalry amongst omnibus conductors and 
coachmen for passengers, — it is not the love they have 
for their employers, but the fear ." 

Testimony of W. B. Parks, M.D., 31 Great Marlbro 9 - 
street, Regent-street ; November \9th 3 1851. 

" I have always had a great sympathy with the hard- 
ships of omnibus drivers and conductors, the greater 
part of whom are honest, civil, and obliging, — a sympathy 
which every benevolent person cannot fail to feel, from 
simply observing and reflecting upon the unremitting 
nature of their toil, and their exposure to weather of 
every kind. 

" But when, from my experience as a medical man, 
I know that nearly all of them, though young, are shat- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 83 

tered in constitution, — -that, while yet young, they are 
subject to debility, acute rheumatism, and bronchial affec- 
tions of so severe a nature, that they are most difficult 
to remove, from the men's remaining under the opera- 
tion of the same causes which originally produced their 
complaints, and which in many cases terminate in con- 
sumption, — my sympathy is increased. Much more is 
this the case when I reflect that these diseases arise en- 
tirely from the nature of their occupation, their long 
hours (from 7 or 8 in the morning often till past mid- 
night), not excluding the Sunday ; from the few brief 
moments they have, in which to take their necessary 
food, affording no relaxation to body or mind ; and lastly, 
from their exposure to the variations of heat, cold, and 
moisture in the atmosphere. When I consider the im- 
portance of the service rendered by these overworked 
servants to the public, and the conveyance of persons 
and property, a mode of conveyance which has become 
an integral part of our social system, I greatly rejoice 
that the ( Metropolitan Omnibus Servants' Provident 
Society ' has received so much of the public support. I 
have undertaken the important office of Consulting 
Medical Officer to this Institution ; and I shall be most 
happy to carry out any suggestions I may receive for pro- 
moting the welfare of these hardworking useful men." 

This testimony of Dr. Parks is very important and 

conclusive, as regards the effect of their unremitting 

toil on Omnibus Servants. The statement of the 

Omnibus Servant is ; it is to be feared, but too faith- 

g2 



84 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

ful an account of the treatment these men generally 
receive : and although some of the expressions used 
are stronger than is desirable, yet great allowance 
must be made for men who actually suffer from the 
system. 

The number of licensed Cab-drivers in May 1852 
was 6741 . The condition of these men is in every re- 
spect little better than that of Omnibus Servants; the 
high terms on which they hire their cabs rendering 
Sunday labour almost necessary, and much night- 
work also. The same cause operates powerfully 
in tempting them to impose on the public, in order 
to obtain a sufficient remuneration for their labour; 
the amount remaining, after they have paid for their 
cabs, being often inadequate for that purpose. Habits 
of intoxication and of profane swearing prevail to a 
great extent amongst both Omnibus Servants and 
Cabmen; and the same characteristic attaches to 
them as to other classes who are deprived of the 
privileges of the LordVday, namely, demoralization 
and degradation. Efforts are now being made by 
Omnibus Servants themselves to improve their moral 
and social condition ; and, feeling their own weak- 
ness, they are appealing — and we hope will not do 
so in vain — to the Christian public for sympathy 
and assistance. One fact is worth noticing,as shew- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 85 

ing the extent to which they are employed : their 
meetings, for considering how best to effect the 
object alluded to, were held after midnight ; the day 
being so occupied as scarcely to afford them neces- 
sary time for their meals. 

The example of the wealthier classes is very inju- 
rious, in unnecessarily using their private carriages on 
the Lord V day, merely for pleasure or ostentation, as 
may be witnessed in the metropolis, particularly in 
Hyde Park. It is also greatly to be regretted that 
Omnibuses and Cabs are much used on the Lord's- 
day to convey persons to places of worship, and 
very often without any stronger justification for the 
act than a preference for a particular preacher. 



SMITHFIELD MARKET. 

The desecration of the Lord's-day caused by 
holding the principal market-day of Smithfield on 
Monday is enormous, not only in the metropolis, 
but in the provinces also. At a meeting held in 
the Agricultural Hall, Oakham, in December, 1846, 
for the purpose of petitioning Parliament to alter 
the day from Monday to Tuesday, one of the 
speakers thus describes it : — 



86 



STATISTICS AND FACTS 



" The whole of the Sabbath morning was occupied in 
marking and preparing the beasts for sale: and he would 
ask them if the persons so engaged till two or three 
o'clock in the afternoon would feel disposed to go to a 
place of worship in the after part of the day ? He knew 
one instance where a salesman was regularly occupied 
every Sunday from seven o'clock in the morning until 
two in tKe afternoon. 

" Another speaker said, he felt much pleasure in 
having an opportunity of recording his opinion against 
the desecration of the Lord's-day. He was not himself 
much connected with grazing, but had attended the 
Smithfield market frequently, and felt bound to say that 
Islington on a Sunday night, if he might be allowed the 
expression, was a hell upon earth. It was necessary for 
drovers to see the stock previously to their being taken 
into the market ; the beasts must be allotted and booked, 
and many other matters attended to on the Lord's-day. 
It had already been suggested that if the Monday market 
were altered to Tuesday, the supply would be more 
equalized : the object, then, which the Meeting had in 
view would have the effect of equalizing the market, and 
preventing the continuance of a great national disgrace." 

It is to be hoped, that, as the market is to 
be removed from sanitary considerations, the 
Tuesday will be made the principal market-day, 
instead of Monday, from consideration for the mo- 
rals of the population : by such an arrangement 
a vast amount of desecration of the Lord's-day 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORIES-DAY. 87 

would be obviated. It is to be regretted that Satur- 
day and Monday are in so many instances market- 
day s, as the Lord's- day is very often in consequence 
passed either in the utter inaction caused by great 
fatigue or dissipation on the Saturday, or it is used 
as time of preparation for the business of Monday. 



IRON WORKS. 

Many thousands of men are employed on the 
LordVday in the Iron Districts of the kingdom. 
That this labour on the LordVday is, at all events 
to a great extent, if not altogether, unnecessary, ap- 
pears from the following extract of evidence of Mr. 
Thomas Bagnall, an extensive iron-master of West 
Bromwich, near Birmingham, and from a communi- 
cation subsequently received by the author from 
that gentleman : — 

Extract from Report of the Select Committee of the 
House of Lords appointed to enquire into the Ex- 
pediency of restraining the Practice of carrying 
Goods and Merchandise on Canals, navigable Rivers, 
and Railways, on Sundays. 1841. 

" Thomas Bagnall, Esq., examined. 
" 295. Used it not to be the impression formerly, that it 



88 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

was impossible to stop the iron-works on Sundays ? — It 
was. 

"296. What has been the result of your own experience ? 
— We have made rather more iron since we stopped on 
Sundays than we did before. I have stated that at public 
meetings, and any gentleman may come and refer to our 
accounts. We thought we should have great difficulty in 
getting our men into the arrangement ; instead of which, 
they were all prepared for it, and we had no difficulty 
whatever. 

" 297. To what do you attribute the enlarged make ? 
— To the men having a day's rest : we have made more 
iron since. 

" 298. You mean that your workmen, labouring for six 
days with one day of rest, make more iron than if they 
were worked incessantly without a day of rest ? — We 
have found it so : it increases their physical powers ; 
they like to get a little more money (not a great deal) by 
working six days than seven. 

" 300. Do you find any increased facility of manage- 
ment in your enlarged concern from the improved charac- 
ter of your men ? — In the manufacturing department it 
was the custom for a great many years to do repairs on 
the Sunday, and to begin to work on the Monday : but 
now we devote the Monday to repairs, and do not work 
on the Sunday, and we find we have less drunkenness a 
great deal. 

"301. How many men do you employ ? — I believe 
about 1500 ; I think it is nearer 2000, men and boys, 
colliers and iron-men, altogether/' 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 89 

The author subsequently received the following 
remarkable communication from Mr. Bagnall : — 

" Gold's Hill Iron-works, West Hromwich, 
October 1, 1846. 

cc I think nearly seven years have elapsed since we 
were (through God's grace !) emancipated from Sabbath 
desecration, by working our blast furnaces on that blessed, 
merciful, and holy day. The sequel has been perfectly 
satisfactory and astonishing to ourselves, and, I am happy 
to add, to many others of our friends and neighbours 
also ; though many who stopped their furnaces at first 
have gone back again to the old plan, I am sorry to say, 
and that I know without cause. We have never but 
once, during the last seven years, worked either of our 
blast furnaces on the Sunday ; and that once was done 
by our foreman, by blowing one without our knowledge 
and consent, and for which we severely censured him, 
although it was in a bad condition, and he considered it 
in danger. We have made a larger quantity of iron than 
ever, and gone on, in all our six iron-works, much more 
free from accidents and interruptions than during any 
preceding seven years of our lives. In April last, my 
eldest son (who is very zealous in this) and one of our 
managers, agreed, without my own or my brother's and 
partner's knowledge, to try an experiment on three of 
our blast furnaces, by stopping them sixteen hours instead 
of twelve on the Sunday. The result has been beyond 
any conception we could have formed ; for we have pro- 



90 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

duced a still larger quantity of iron from those three fur- 
naces since then than they ever made. Any person may 
see our books as to the proof. The consequence is, we 
have stood, and do every Sunday stand still, sixteen 
hours since April last ; and we shall, as soon as possible, 
introduce the same plan to the other three furnaces. 
Occasionally my son takes a walk to the furnaces and 
works, to see if all is right ; and he comes home and tells 
me how he is amused and pleased in seeing the sparrows 
occupying the place which is so busy a scene on other 
days, and picking up the crumbs of the workmen ; and 
that all is as still and quiet as though no works were 
there. 

" Although there are yet too many who are indifferent 
to this serious and important subject, and totally neglect 
their duty and privilege, by continuing their operations 
on God's holy day, yet it has received its death-blow. 
Such sin gratuitously, and in the face of the posi- 
tive fact of there being no necessity for it. 

ie We have frequently been put to a test in this mat- 
ter in this way. Sometimes a furnace is in a bad condi- 
tion, cold, and the iron thick ; and then our foreman has 
submitted whether that had not better work on the Sun- 
day, as it would be highly dangerous to stop it under 
such circumstances for twelve hours. To this we have 
always answered firmly and promptly, No ! and now we 
seldom have such a case mentioned. 

" The introduction of hot blast has been the great 
means whereby this salutary measure has been carried 
out ; though when we first adopted the suspension of 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 91 

working, we had both cold and hot ; principally the lat- 
ter, I think. The simple truth is, it requires an inflex- 
ible determination, come what will, to stop ; and then, 
by some attention at first, it becomes easy. Pray excuse 
this trial of your patience. I had no idea of writing 
half so much when I began. I must also beg you to 
extend your candour to the hurried way I have been 
obliged to write. 

"P.S. — Our workmen's wages amount to 563000 a 
week and upwards, which are paid always in good time 
on Saturday, though we cannot possibly do it on a 
Friday." 

Letter from Mr. IB. Davis, foreman to Thomas 
Bagnall, Esq.; July 27th, 1846; enclosed in the 
above. 

" Being disappointed in making the contemplated 830 
tons in the fortnight I was so ill (though the furnaces 
were in the best state I had ever had them), and being 
much better in health, I requested the doctor to allow 
me to go out as early as advisable : he therefore ap- 
pointed that I should go out on Monday, July 13th. I 
therefore told Powell to go to his work on the Sunday 
night ; and on the Monday morning I went again to the 
furnaces, with a determination, and by the help of Divine 
Providence, to make the afore contemplated 830 tons. 
But up to the Monday the make only averaged 748 tons ; 
yet I reached to 401 tons by Friday morning, which 
ended the first week ; and at the end of the fortnight I 
had made 840 tons, 2 cwt. 3 qrs. 8 lbs. 



92 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

" This is the first time my mind has been at rest since 
the 3rd of April last. At that time your son allowed 
me to let the furnaces stand four hours longer than 
usual on the Sabbath, which made sixteen hours instead 
of twelve. This extra standing averaged the less make 
of 11 \ tons of iron each week. This serious loss of 22 
tons a fortnight I have been over-anxious to make up ; 
and, thanks be to Divine Providence, this fortnight 
have more than realized the former drawback, having 
made 840 tons 2 cwt. 3 qrs. 8 lbs., without using anv 
scraps ; being 30 tons 16 cwt. 3 qrs. 8 lbs. more than 
was ever made before the extra standing on the Sabbath. 

" Here then, to use an old quaint word, is a touch-stone 
for the whole world — that your furnaces at Copperfield 
stand longer on the Sabbath-day than any other furnaces 
in the world, and yet make more iron than any other 
three furnaces in the whole world ! This is not only 
pleasing, but highly gratifying, even to a triumph. 

" I thank you for allowing, and for the pleasure you 
took in allowing, me to stop the furnaces longer on the 
Sabbath, from the time I reached the make of upwards 
of 800 tons ; and hope and pray the hand and blessing 
of Divine Providence will ever rest on so exemplary a 
patron for the sanctity of the holy Sabbath." 

This is another remarkable instance in which the 
plea of necessity in justification of systematic labour 
on the LordVday has been practically refuted. The 
author has been assured that the labour in iron- 
works might be suspended for the four-and-twenty 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORDS-DAY. 93 

hours of the LordVday, provided tanks were con- 
structed sufficiently capacious to supply water for 
that time, in order to counteract the intense heat of 
the hot blast. 



CHEESE-MAKING ON THE LORD'S-DAY. 

A large proportion of the female population of 
those counties in which cheese is made, are employed 
in this business up to the afternoon of the LordVday, 
and are thus prevented attending Morning Service ; 
which in such districts presents the unusual spectacle 
of an almost exclusively male congregation, owing 
to the absence of females of the farming class 
and of their servants, That labour on the Lord's- 
day in connection with cheese-making is not neces- 
sary, is proved by the fact, that in numerous 
instances it has been dispensed with, and with- 
out detriment to the farmer. 

The author knew a farmer in the parish of East 
Brent, Somerset, who resolved to try whether he could, 
without losing his milk, avoid labour on the Lord's- 
day in making cheese. The experiment met with 
complete success; so much so, that the cheese- 



94 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

factor who was in the habit of purchasing his 
cheeses particularly commended the cheese whict 
was made without involving Sunday labour. It is 
worthy of observation that this experiment was made 
in the warmest month of an unusually warm summer. 

A very injurious custom prevails in Cheshire, in 
some measure supported and confirmed by the labour 
required on the LordVday in cheese-making : farm 
servants demand as a right — which is conceded by 
their masters — that Saturday night is to be a time 
for receiving visits and seeing their friends in the 
houses of their masters. This custom, combined 
with the desecration of the LordVday, is a fruitful 
source of vice and demoralization in Cheshire. 

The Rev. J. Armistead, vicar of Sandbach, Che- 
shire, some years ago published a Tract entitled, 
iC Sabbath-day Cheese-making not a Work of Neces- 
sity/' in which he at some length describes the par- 
ticular process by which cheese- making on the 
Lord's- day may be avoided without loss to the 
farmer : the Tract was written in the form of a dia- 
logue between the wife of a farmer and a clergyman : 
the plan recommended is thus described : — 

" Cler. — My plan is simply this : milk a little earlier on 
the Saturday evening, putting the milk and rennet together 
directly, and proceeding with the curd, as regards drying, 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 95 

breaking, and salting it, as each dairy maid may have 
been accustomed to do. When the curd is salted, keep 
it in a cool place, in a spare cheese vat and cloth, till 
Monday morning, when the curd from the Sunday morn- 
ing's milk, put together early on the Monday morning, 
must be broken down with it ; the two, being thus com- 
pletely mixed together, will form one cheese of a propor- 
tionate size with the rest of the dairy. Most people 
now use a small hand-mill for breaking the curd, and, in 
hot weather, an excellent contrivance it is : by this 
means the curd, in a few minutes, is so thoroughly mixed 
together, as to leave the whole one uniform colour. It 
would be well, however, where colouring is used, that it 
should be weighed, in order that the quantities may be 
the same ; or if there is a little more milk in the morning 
than there is in the evening, which there generally is, 
due allowance may be made. This point, however, is not 
so material as some may think, the whole becomes so 
thoroughly mixed by the use of the mill. 

" Farmer s wife. — I cannot say that I should alto- 
gether like to use it. The curd is generally very tender 
when little or no cream is taken away, and requires to be 
broken with great gentleness and care, which I think 
can only be done by hand, in the old-fashioned way. 

" Cler. — In that case, a little more time would be 
requisite to unite the two curds thoroughly together, 
which will not interfere with the success of the plan. 

" Farmer s wife. — But you have not spoken to the 
point of the milk going sour. 



96 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

" Cler. — To that I would answer, a little attention will 
obviate all fear on that score. Milk-houses should be 
from the sun, as equal in temperature as possible, and 
cool. By the following plan you will be perfectly safe 
if your milk-house is moderately good : — Put your Sun- 
day morning's milk in a large flat cooler, of lead or cast 
metal ; and underneath it let there be another, two sizes 
larger. Let the latter be filled morning and evening 
with cold water, the two being so placed that the upper 
one be suspended within the one that is below ; and you 
will find the milk remain perfectly sweet in the hottest 
weather, even in thunder, which is the most trying of all 
This precaution is seldom necessary, but I imagine it 
will never be found to fail. Some people, however, 
object to the use of any thing but the common pan mugs. 
They certainly possess many advantages ; are cheaper, 
more easily scalded than larger vessels, and, from being 
glazed in the inside, are less liable to be tainted than 
more porous substances. I believe there is nothing re- 
quires (if I may use the expression) such delicate clean- 
liness as milk : once tainted, not all the art of woman 
can produce a fine cheese afterwards. To those, then, 
that prefer the use of pan-mugs, I would suggest that a 
drain be laid, communicating with the floor of the 
milk-house, and the floor itself pointed with a stron 
mortar that will retain water. By this means the pan 
mugs may be set upon the floor, and a few buckets o: 
spring water poured upon it will keep them cool in th 
hottest weather. The floor should be laid so as to inclin 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LQRD's-DAY. 97 

towards one point, at which, by means of a stop, the water 
may be retained or drawn off at pleasure. 

" Farmer s wife. — Will not the expense be considera- 
ble? 

" Cler. — Not more, I imagine, than ten pounds for a 
dairy of forty cows. And what landlord do you think 
could refuse so small a sum towards the attainment of so 
desirable an end ? 

cf Farmer s wife. — Do you think, Sir, your plan likely 
to answer with dairies of all sizes ? 

" Cler, — Yes ; for I think none attended with more 
difficulty than your own. You keep, I think, thirty 
cows or thereabouts, and make one good-sized cheese 
a-day. As regards other farms, whether of greater 
or less size, you will see in a moment that the plan 
I have stated is equally applicable. Where a smaller 
number of cows are kept, it will be optional, either to put 
the whole of the Saturday's milk into the cheese of that 
day, or to make it in the way proposed. In the case of 
a very large dairy of sixty or seventy cows, where two 
cheeses are made a-day, the Saturday evening's milk will 
make a cheese of the average size of the dairy, and the 
Sunday morning's, kept till Monday, will make another. 
To this method no objection can be raised ; it points itself 
out. 

" Farmer's wife. — But do you think, Sir, there w r ould 
be time to complete a cheese of that size on Saturday 
evening ? 

"Cler. — Certainly; milking a little earlier, and with 
the aid of the curd mill, which saves both time and labour." 
H 



98 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

The following communication, addressed to the 
author by the incumbent of a parish in Cheshire, 
distinctly asserts the practicability of avoiding cheese- 
making on the Lord's- day, as illustrated in his own 
parish : — 

" You will be pleased to hear that, under God's bless- 
ing, we are making some progress in putting away one 
great hindrance to Sabbath sanctification, namely, cheese- 
making on that sacred day. 

" Three years ago, any observation which I ventured 
to make on the subject was met by strong assertions of 
the impossibility of any change, coupled with sundry 
reasons why it was impossible. Now, about twenty 
farms, the dairies of which are supplied by from 500 to 
600 cows, entirely abstain from making cheese on the 
Lord's-day. The smallest of these dairies took 1 7 cows, 
and the largest about 45. That the character of the 
cheese does not suffer from the alteration is proved gene- 
rally from the fact, that I have not heard one com- 
plaint of any loss resulting ; and one case that I will 
mention in particular corroborating the general truth. 
Mr. B. has a dairy of about 40 cows : having given up 
Sunday cheese-making, he became a candidate for a prize 
that is offered for the best cheese, from a farm not mak- 
ing cheese on the Sunday. He obtained the premium ; 
but not only so ; the same cheese that won the Sabbath- 
observance prize, took away also the reward for the 
second best cheese, where the competition was open to 
all, whether they made cheese on Sunday or not. This 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 99 

year, the same farmer's dairy has received the prize for 
the best cheese, against eighteen competitors, representing 
probably the best dairies in the county of Cheshire, and 
not restricted to the observance of the Sabbath. Respect- 
ing the comfort of the Sunday to those who are brought 
under the influence of this unhappily prevailing custom, 
there is but one opinion ; it is no Sabbath, or next to 
none. The morning is occupied till dinner-time ; after 
that meal, if they do attend the house of God, weary, 
and too often drowsy, they are not likely to derive much 
profit from the service. Those who have abandoned it, 
find it to be indeed a rest and a refreshment, and bless 
God for the change. 

" I shall be happy at any time to furnish further parti- 
culars to any interested in the subject." 

It is to be hoped that landlords in cheese-making 
listricts, seeing that Sunday labour is not necessary 

the manufacture of cheese, will use their influence 
to put a stop to a practice so plainly opposed to God's 
command, and so injurious to the religion and 
lorals of the population of those districts. 



BAKING ON THE LQRD'3-DAY. 

The trade of a baker is, under any circumstances, 
laborious one, and injurious to the human consti- 
h2 



100 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

tution, owing to the night-work unavoidably involved 
in carrying it on : it therefore is the more necessary 
that bakers should enjoy all the rest they possibly 
can obtain, and that their Sabbath privileges should 
be scrupulously respected. This, however, is not the 
case, as more labour than usual is often required of 
them on the LordVday, in consequence of having to 
bake on that day a greater number of dinners than 
on ordinary days : this is the case in towns generally, 
but particularly in the metropolis. The plea adduced 
in justification of employing them in this way on 
the LordVday is, that by the labour of a few bakers 
thereon, a considerably larger number of persons, 
who otherwise would be detained at home, are ena- 
bled to attend public worship. Now the soundness 
of this argument is very questionable : it is not at 
all clear that, even were the fact so, we should be 
justified in sacrificing the spiritual interests even of 
one soul to those of many — that we should do evil 
that good may come : nor is it at all in keeping with 
the wisdom of the Divine arrangements, that such 
an alternative would be presented to us. However, 
the fact appears to be, that few persons, if any, use 
the labour of the baker on the LordVday with a 
view of being enabled to attend Divine worship. A 
respectable master baker of the metropolis informed 









IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 101 

the author, lately, that an inquiry was instituted, on 
an extensive scale, some years ago, by the bakers 
themselves, into the truth of the plea stated above, 
and it was found that not one in sixty of those who 
had recourse to the bakehouse to bake their dinners 
on the LordVday attended Divine worship. Nor in 
truth is the injury inflicted on a few. The bakers in 
the country generally, are a numerous body : there are 
about 2500 master bakers in London ; and the au- 
thor has been informed, but he is not sure of the ac- 
curacy of the statement, that there are about 10,000 
journeymen bakers in the metropolis. When we 
consider that for the most part these men are married 
and have families, whose present and everlasting 
happiness will be greatly influenced by paternal ex- 
ample and teaching, we must admit that they con- 
stitute a numerous and an important class deserving 
of Christian sympathy and regard. 

But let the bakers speak for themselves. The 
following are extracts from the evidence given by 
bakers before the Committee of the House of Com- 
mons in the year 1832, on the due observance of 
the LordVday. 

Mr. Henry Ellis, master baker, says : — 

" We cannot conceive that 4000 or 5000 bakers ou 
the Sunday should be employed to cook the dinners of a 



102 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

great part of those dissipated characters who, instead of 
attending a place of Divine worship, only spend their 
time in an immoral way, and who are tippling in the 
public-houses, and oftentimes coming for their dinners, 
after we have cooked them for them, in a state of intoxi- 
cation. There can be no person who desires the welfare 
of the community at large that could wish his fellow- 
creatures to be employed on that day ; and any man of 
proper feeling would not wish for a moment that his 
dinner should be sent to the bakehouse to be cooked : he 
would rather say, ' No, let that man have the liberty 
that I have of enjoying his Sunday to himself;' and the 
expense of fuel would, to the public in the winter months, 
be very trifling indeed ; because they are obliged to keep 
a fire for the warmth of their persons. And another very 
great hardship is, that many young men who come to us 
from the country, who receive in their early days a reli- 
gious education, when they come are obliged to devote 
nearly the whole of the Sabbath to the toil and labour of the 
day : they feel themselves degraded and lost in the scale 
of society, and not to hold that place which they ought 
to do : and those good and moral impressions which they 
first received in their early days are entirely lost, from 
the continual practice of working on the Sabbath-day. 
It was my case : I received a religious education, and 
fortune drove me up here, after being Hwe years and a half 
under proper tuition, and the bakehouse where I was, was 
opposite the church. I heard the bells of the church chime 
for Divine service on the Sunday when I was at work, but 
I was unable to attend it. I was there working in the heat 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD^S-DAY. 103 

of nearly 100 degrees during the morning, and that quite 
unfitted me to attend any place of worship afterwards with 
any degree of instruction or satisfaction to myself; and I 
can but say, as a man, that I felt myself degraded in the 
scale of society, — that I was not entitled, like any of my 
fellow-creatures, to attend a place of worship as others 
were. Since I have become a master I have had men 
with me who wished to attend a place of worship ; and 
when they have put the question to me, it has made me 
blush to think that I could not give them that indul- 
gence." 

Mr. Charles Viner is asked. — 

" In your own observation have you seen the habit of 
breaking the Sabbath produce a demoralizing effect upon 
the persons so employed ? — Yes. I was born and bred 
in Bath, and my father and mother were of a very reli- 
gious habit. I was bred up to go to chapel, and always 
did till I came up to London : when I came to London, 
being forced to work on a Sunday so many hours in the 
fore part of the day, I was always so fatigued "in the 
afternoon, though I might go in the afternoon for an 
hour, that I never felt a disposition to go to a place of 
worship at all in the afternoon ; and in the evening I was 
compelled to go to rest, as my time was to rise at eleven 
o'clock. 

" Do you conceive that by bringing about the observ- 
ance of the Sabbath, you would thereby raise the character 
of the men in your trade ? — I consider it will very much 
indeed. I am sorry to say that, by their being not indulged 



104 STATISTICS AND FACTS 






as our mechanics are, they are put down as bad characters 
by the other people in London. 

" And you attribute the bad character to the necessary 
habit of disregarding the Sabbath ? — Yes, certainly I do ; 
I know it. For instance, I am obliged to work from 
about nine o'clock on the Sunday till half -past two in 
the day ; then I come home to my family ; then I am 
going in my dusty clothes, just as people are coming out 
of church, and I have heard people make the remark 
upon me, < That fellow is a drunken fellow, and he is 
dirty in his clothes/ But had I a day of rest, as other 
mechanics have, I should feel pleasure in going to a 
place of worship on a Sunday, which now I am deprived 
of. 

" Do you agree with the last witness upon the effect 
produced by this long labour upon the health of the 
journeymen ? — Very much indeed. I am frequently, 
from being so closely confined, obliged to sit down on 
the stones outside for a quarter of an hour, before I can 
get my breath. 

" Do you conceive that a day of rest of one day in 
seven would be calculated to counteract that injurious 
effect in a great degree ? — I think a good deal. 

" Can you say with confidence that you speak the 
sentiments of the majority in your own trade ?— Yes." 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD^S-DAY. 105 



METROPOLITAN AND CITY POLICE. 

The united number of the Metropolitan and City 
Police Force, in April, 1852, was 6194. The duty of 
protecting person and property is one that will not 
admit of suspension, even on the Lord's-day : indeed, 
they are more exposed to danger on that than on 
ordinary days. Still, by the employment of a sufficient 
number of men, arrangements might be made, con- 
sistently with the safety of the public, to secure to the 
Police Force, in certain proportions, the privileges 
of the LordVday. The author has been assured by 
one of the Police authorities, that the present Force 
is inadequate to effect the object, but that a small 
addition would suffice for the purpose. Their duties 
are of a very anxious and laborious character, requir- 
ing the exercise of great vigilance and much walking 
in traversing their assigned beats : and not only are 
there these ordinary duties by night and by day, but 
extra duty is not of unfrequent occurrence. The 
consequence is, that owing to the amount of duty 
to be done daily, and the insufficiency of the present 
Force for its discharge, few if any of the Police enjoy 
at any time an uninterrupted Sabbath : their hours 



106 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

of rest on the Lord's-day so closely follow upon, and 
are so quickly succeeded by, those of labour, that the 
men feel little disposition to devote them to attend- 
ance on public worship. 

An order has recently been issued in one district 
requiring those of them who are not on duty to march 
to Divine service on the LordVday : a similar regula- 
tionhasbeen long in operation in Her Majesty's forces, 
and also in the Irish Police Force. It is an admirable 
order, and one calculated to improve the moral tone 
of the Police ; but to render it acceptable and useful 
to the men, the labour must be diminished by an 
increase of the Force in London as above suggested : 
proper bodily rest is a necessary preliminary to a 
beneficial attendance on the public means of religious 
instruction : and therefore Divine wisdom has en- 
joined not only that the Sabbath is to be a holy day, 
but also, with a view to its being a holy day, that 
no manner of work shall be done thereon. The 
moral condition of the Police is a matter of great 
importance to the community, for much trust is 
necessarily reposed in them. How then can mo- 
ral elevation be secured in them, as a class, more 
effectually than by affording them the opportunity 
of being instructed in the great truths of the Gos- 
pel ? The very familiarity with vice in all its forms, 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORIES-DAY. 107 

to which the Police are necessarily exposed, specially 
demands that they should receive the counteracting 
influences of the Sabbath to preserve them from 
corruption. The author has been informed, on au- 
thority that may be relied on, that a very large pro- 
portion of the Police Force of the metropolis is 
annually dismissed. 



TRADING ON THE LORD'S-DAY. 

This is a wide-spread evil, both in the metropolis 
and in the provincial towns. The Report of the 
London City Mission, read at the annual meeting 
held in May, 1852, states, that in that moiety of 
the metropolis on which the Society's operations 
are brought to bear, there are as many as 14,000 
shops which open on some part of the LordVday. 

The principal callings coming under the above 
head, carried on on the LordVday — a distinct men- 
tion having been made of the sale of intoxicating 
drinks, of tobacco and snuff — are those of the 
butcher, the greengrocer, the confectioner, and, in 
many parts of the metropolis, slopsellers, clothiers, 
hatters, fishmongers, and hawking goods generally. 



108 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

With this feature of Sabbath desecration is closely 
connected, as a chief originating cause of it, late 
payment of wages on Saturday, if not necessitating, 
certainly holding out a temptation to the wife of the 
working-man to make her market on Sunday. 

Mr. L. Slaney, being examined before the Com- 
mittee of the House of Commons on Sunday Trad- 
ing, referred to before, states (page 25) : t€ Being con- 
nected with one of the marts in the city, I should 
say that there are not less than from 10,000 to 
20,000 persons on each Sunday assembled in the 
neighbourhood of Houndsditch ; some bring their 
children, and some come without." 

Mr. Alexander Fraser, barber and hairdresser, 
of Whitecross-street, says (page 107) : " We all 
keep open, with very few exceptions. I counted 
131 shops (I presume there are only about 160 
in the whole street) ; and 131 were open at eleven 
o' clock on Sunday." 

Mr. Joseph Bray, of Lambeth-walk, being ex- 
amined (page 113), says: a Iam a clothier's assis- 
tant. We are opened at seven o'clock in the morn- 
ing, and not closed till one, and sometimes past one. 
We are frequently taking in the things and sweeping 
out the shop, and clearing away, at the time the pub- 
lic are coming from church. That is the practice in 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 109 

nearly all those sort of shops situated in neighbour- 
hoods like ours, which are like markets." 

With regard to trading in cattle on the Lord's- 
day- 
Mr. Harper, grazier and land agent, is asked — 
Are there any cattle sold on Sundays ? and replies, 
" A great many. They are brought by railway, 
and deposited at the different resting-places, called 
lairs. There are a class of men who come from 
different neighbourhoods in and round London to 
look for such cattle. They are purchased and sent 
in the night to the slaughtering-houses, instead of 
being sent into the market." Question : " Is that 
done on Sunday morning ? " " Yes ; at different 
times of the day." "Is there a vast amount of that 
trade carried on ?" "A vast deal." (Page 142.) 

Thomas Craig, greengrocer and potato-dealer, at 
72 London Road, Southwark, says "he employs 
four men and two lads, his wife and family, and two 
women servants." Being asked how many hours 
he labours on Sunday, he answered : " At this time 
of the year (April) twenty, from four in the morning 
till twelve at night :" that his business goes on all 
that time : that he suffered much in health in con- 
sequence ; that such hours are usual in his trade on 
Sundays." 

In order to shew more fully the extent to which 



110 



STATISTICS AND FACTS 



trading is carried on on the LordVday by Shop- 
keepers, the following returns are subjoined, describ- 
ing the state of particular districts in the Metro- 
polis : they were obtained through the kindness of 
a friend, principally through the Missionaries of the 
London City Mission Society. 

Number of Shops open on the Lord's-day, Jan. 18, 
1852, in the District of Noi*th Lambeth : — 

Waterloo Road, from the River to the Parish 

boundary . . . . . . . . 53 

Westniinter Road, do. do. do. 40 

Lambeth Road, do. do. do. 2 

York Road and Palace New Road . , . . 20 

New Cut, Lower Marsh and Upper Marsh . . 161 
Oakley Street, Hercules Buildings, and York 

Place 63 

Cornwall Road and Webber Street . . . . 52 

Carlisle Street. . . . . . . . 15 

Commercial and Belvedere Roads, and Small 

Streets . . . . . . . . 44 

Streets running out of Westminster Road . . 32 

Streets going out of the New Cut . . . . 41 

Streets „ ,, „ Cornwall Road . . 13 

Streets „ „ „ Waterloo Road . . 18 

Streets ,, ,, „ Y^ork Road . . . . 11 



565 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD S-DAY. 



Ill 



Number of Shops open for Trading on the Lord's-day, 
from observations made February 1st and 8th, 1852, 
in the following streets : — 



St. George's Road . . . . 25 

London Road . . . . . . 56 

Borough Road . . . . . . 32 

Blackfriars Road . . . . 36 

Waterloo Road to Parish Boundary 27 

Westminster Road to do. . . 15 
Elephant and Castle to Prospect Place 51 

to Newington Church 26 

Southwark Bridge Road . . . . 22 

Great Suffolk Street . . . . 29 

Mint Street (Borough) . . . . 45 

Union Street (do.) . . . . 113 

Red Cross Street . . . . 43 

Gravel Lane . . . . . . 75 

Vicinity of Borough Market . . 30 

Holland, Guilford, and Park Streets 63 

Friar and Webber Street . . 63 

Tower Street (Westminster Road) 40 

Broad Wall and Vicinity (New Cut) 86 



112 



STATISTICS AND FACTS 



Other small streets in the vicinity of- 




Friar Street 


37 


Great Suffolk Street 


36 


Gravel Lane 


50 


Do. do 


26 


London Road (one side) 


40 


Do. do. (other side) 


26 


St. George's Road 


23 


Total 


1120 



The above account includes the space from 
the river Thames to one-fifth of a mile beyond 
the Elephant and Castle; and from the Borough 
to the boundary of Lambeth parish. 

From this paper it will be seen that Union Street, 
in the Borough, presents the highest figure, 113; the 
New Cut, which is a continuation of it, is 146; so that 
in that long thoroughfare, from the Borough to the 
other side of Westminster Road, there are 259 shops 
open on the LordVday ; besides very many in the 
small streets running out of it, as Broad "Wall, 
Gravel Lane, &c. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 113 

Shops open on Sunday, January 11th, 1852, on 
that plot of ground bounded on the north by Lam- 
beth Chapel, on the south by Princes-street, on the 
west by Lambeth Road, and on the east by Ken- 
nington Road : — 

Shops of various kinds . . . . 229 

Public-houses and Beer-shops . . 26 

Total 255 



119 of the above are in Lambeth Walk alone; 
the rest in the different streets running out of it on 
either side. 

The person who communicated this information 
remarks, — 

" The above facts speak loudly of the demoraliza- 
tion and depravity of this most ungodly neighbour- 
hood; in which God's Sabbaths are awfully de- 
secrated, and His holy laws trampled upon." 

Shops open on Sunday, Jan. 11th, 1852, on the north 
side of Lambeth Walk, from Paradise- street to 
Broad-street, extending to Fore-street by the side 
of the river, and also those streets on the north side 
of Tyers-street extending to the Gas Works, which 
are also by the river side : — 

Jonathan Street . . . . . . 3 



114 



STATISTICS AND FACTS 



Catherine Street . . 


2 


George Street 


3 


Vauxhall Walk .. 


33 


Broad Street 


22 


Princes Street . . 


14 


Glasshouse Street 


3 


High Street, Vauxhall - 


18 


Fore Street 


8 


Church Street . . 


9 


High Street 


30 




145 


Vauxhall Walk : Public-houses and 


Beer-shops . . 


6 


Broad Street : d( 


). do. 5 


Princes Street : d( 


). do. 4 


High Street, Vauxhall ; d( 


). do. 3 


Fore Street : d< 


). do. 5 


Church Street : d< 


). do. 4 


High Street : d< 


3. do. 4 




31 



Forty-seven Shops were open on Sunday, Ja- 
nuary 11th, 1852, in the under-mentioned streets 
(exclusive of six Public-houses), the whole num- 
of Shops in them being fifty-six. 

One side of Vauxhall Street. 
„ Barrett Street. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 115 

The whole of Tyers Street. 

St. Oswald's Place. 
Victoria Place. 
Wickham Street. 
Jonathan Street. 
Tyers Terrace. 
Neville Street. 

Shops open on and near the Clayland's Road Dis- 
trict, on Sunday, January 11th, 1852. 

Church Street, &c. . . . . . . . . 6 

Bowling-green Street and West Street . . 3 

Clayton Street, Public-houses and Beer-shops 8 

Devonshire Place . . . . . . . . 3 

Durham Street, 14 of which are Public-houses 15 

South Lambeth, 8 of which are Beer-shops . . 11 

Bond Street . . . . . . . . . . 5 

Wandsworth Road, both sides, to the Three 

Goats' Heads 20 

Kennington Lane, one side . . . . . . 12 

Triangle 10 

Kennington Road and Clapham Road to the 

Fentiman Road .. .. .. ..10 

Public-houses, &c. . . . . . . 20 

Total 123 

i2 



116 



STATISTICS AND FACTS 



Shops open on the Sabbath of the 1 8/A January, 
1852, from Kennington Cross to Brook-street, and 
from Newington Cross to White Hart-street, includ- 
ing all the Courts to be found in this District. 

Bakers 
Butchers 



Greengrocers 
Grocers 
Barbers 
Cigars 

Paper Sellers 
Sweet Stuff 
Coffee-shops 
Beer-shops 



8 

8 
22 
10 

5 
10 
11 
11 

6 
24 



Total of all kinds 115 



Shops open in the Esther-street District, on Sun- 
day, January 11th, 1852. 
Princes Road and Kennington Lane, Barret 

and Vauxhall Street, south side . . . . 23 

Cardigan and Devonshire Streets . . . . 8 

Park Street and New Street 24 

Public-houses and Beer-shops. . . . . . 11 



Total 66 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 117 



Shops open and closed on a Sunday in October, in the 
following streets in Somers Town. 





Stalls, 


Shops open. 


Closed 


Seymour Street 




47 


72 


Chapel Street , . 


. 104 


43 


6 


Bull Row 


. 32 


53 


5 


West Street . . 




10 


6 


Northam Buildings . 




46 


, 4 


Brewers Street 


. 33 


43 


10 


Middlesex Street 




15 


11 


Phoenix Street. . 




21 


6 


Hampden Street 




10 


3 


Skinners' Street 


4 


28 


13 


Weston Street. . 




26 


7 


Ossulston Street 




20 


15 


Church Way . . 




6 


1 


Weir's Passage 




3 


3 


Wilsted Street. . 




25 


19 




173 


396 


181 



Trading on the Lord's-day also prevails in many 
of the provincial towns. 

The City of Norwich was surveyed by twelve com- 
petent individuals, employed by the Lord's-day Ob- 
servance Society of that city, on a Sunday in the 
year 1851. The following persons were found en- 
gaged in their ordinary callings between the hours of 
ten and twelve o'clock : — 13 Bakers, 21 Fishmon- 



118 



STATISTICS AND FACTS 



gers, 36 Grocers, 158 Greengrocers, 55 Meat Shops., 
11 Tobacconists, 60 General Dealers, 208 Public- 
houses; total 642. — 12 Criers of goods for sale, 
23 Hawkers ; total 35. 

In an interesting Lecture on Town Missions, 
delivered in the Town Hall, Brighton, by Henry B. 
Madden, Esq., M.D., it is stated that on Sunday 
December 14th, 1851, 705 shops, not including 
public-houses, were open for business in Brigh- 
ton, between the hours of nine and eleven a.m.; 
there were about 350 Beer or Spirit Shops open on 
the LordVday, in the afternoon. 



Shops open in Bath on Sunday, 4th April, from 
eight a.m., to one p.m. 



Grocer and Baker 


. . 


. 1 


Oyster and Ginger Beer 
Greengrocer and Coal Merchant 
Wood and Coal 


. 1 
. 1 

. 2 


General Shops. . 
Eating-houses . . 
News Offices . . 


• • • • . 


. 3 
. 3 
. 3 


Grocers and Beer-houses 


. 3 


Fruiterers 


• • . • • 


. 3 


Bakers. . 


. e • a • 


. 6 


Pork Butchers. . 


• • • • • 


. 9 


Butchers 


• • • 


. 11 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 119 



Grocers 

Greengrocers 

Hairdressers 

Do. and Tobacconists 
Tobacconists 



19 

27 

19 

5 

1 

w 



Having given these details of Trading on the 
LordVday, respecting particular districts and 
towns, this part of the subject cannot be con- 
cluded more suitably than by the following extract 
from the Annual Report of the London City Mis- 
sion Society for 1852, which will place before 
the reader an appalling view of trading on the 
LordVday in the metropolis generally. Assuredly 
such an account shews how imperatively it is the 
duty of Christians to endeavour to check this fear- 
ful and increasing evil, one which experience proves 
may be diminished, provided only that prayerful 
and persevering efforts to do so be made; of 
which fact this extract affords an illustration in its 
concluding sentence : — 

" The Committee have been accustomed to report on 
these occasions the number of shops closed on theLord's - 
day through the efforts of the missionaries. This year, 



120 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

inquiry has been instituted not only into the number of 
shops closed, but also into that of those open for business 
on that day, in the respective districts ; and it reveals so 
fearfully awful an amount of Sabbath profanation, that 
it cannot be passed over without observation. It is a 
new illustration of the awful depths of the evil with 
which the Society has to grapple, in dependence on God's 
help, among the working classes. The numbers reported 
are given not by mere guess, but by actual enumeration, 
and are therefore strictly correct. They comprise the 
shops, whether visited or not, in that moiety of London 
occupied by the Mission. The number is so great that 
the Committee feel, to hear it, ought to give unutterable 
pain to the heart of every one who is conscious what he 
himself owes to that day of sacred rest. It is 14,103. 
If a Christian individual were called on to traverse on 
the Lord's-day from Whitechapel Church to Hyde Park- 
corner, and were to behold every shop open for business 
during that long- line of thoroughfare, extending from 
one end of London to the other, his heart would surely 
sink within him at the sight. And yet the number of 
shops in Whitechapel, Aldgate, Leadenhall-street, Corn- 
hill, Poultry, Cheapside, St. Paul's Churchyard (taking 1 
the entire circuit of it), Ludgate-street and hill, the 
Strand, Cockspur- street, Haymarket, and Piccadilly, 
including both sides of the entire of the streets, and 
taking every house as a shop, would be only 1882. 
The shops enumerated by the missionaries as open in 
their districts for business on Sunday, are sufficient to 
give a frontage to all the leading thoroughfares of London. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 121 

They would constitute 30 miles of continuous open shops ; 
and if the other half of London is of a like character, 
which it may be fairly assumed to be, it extends the line 
to 60 miles. And this in the professedly Christian me- 
tropolis of the first nation of the world. No marvel 
that the number of individuals induced by the missionaries 
to attend public worship is so small. Nor is the pro- 
portionate number of shops thus opened less affecting 
than their numerical amount. The total number of 
shops in the districts is 25,812, so that the 14,103 open 
are very considerably more than those closed. It is 
often stated by shopkeepers in poor neighbourhoods, 
when urged to close, and there is every reason to believe 
the statement, that Sunday is the day of the week on 
which they transact the largest amount of business ; and 
many declare, doubtless with truth, that they do as much 
business on that day as the other six days put together. 
If, then, there are, in one half of London, 14,103 shop- 
keepers with open shops on the Lord's-day, what must 
be the number by which this large figure is to be multi- 
plied, that we may obtain the number of shoy-dea!er$. 
Bearing in mind that there are frequently hundreds of 
purchasers each Sunday at a single shop, and bearing in 
mind also that one or two persons ordinarily purchase 
for the entire family, the question of difficulty to answer 
is, what is left as a remainder of the families of the poor ? 
The number of shops closed on the Lord's-day this year 
by the efforts of the missionaries is 112, which is an 
increase of 5 ; but what is it, except as a drop in the 
mighty ocean ?" 



122 STATISTICS AND FACTS 



THE ADAPTATION OF THE SABBATH 
INSTITUTION TO MAN. 



Many of the facts stated in the preceding part of 
this book are so many illustrations of the saying of 
our blessed Lord, that the Sabbath was made forman. 
They plainly shew that its observance is conducive 
to his moral and physical well-being; whilst he 
suffers invariably, in both these respects, from its 
desecration. Still it appears desirable to refer more 
particularly to this important view of the subject, 
by adducing a few additional facts illustrative of it. 

The following evidence, as regards the bearing of 
the Sabbath on the morals of the community, was 
given before the Select Committee of the House of 
Commons, 1832, before referred to : — 

" Rev. David Ruell, examined. 

" What is your profession ? — I am now chaplain of 
the New Prison, Clerkenwell; and was formerly chap- 
lain of the House of Correction, Coldbath Fields, also. 

" How long have you held that office ? — I was for ten 
years chaplain both of the New Prison and House of 
Correction, and have been upwards of eighteen years 
chaplain of the New Prison. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 123 

"How many prisoners have you had under your 
care ? — Nearly 7000 annually pass under my care 5 and 
during my chaplaincy, at the lowest calculation, I have 
had above 100,000. 

" Have you had any means of ascertaining, from the 
prisoners or otherwise, the leading causes which first led 
them to crime ?— Independent of my general intercourse 
with the prisoners, when assembled daily for public wor- 
ship and religious instruction, I generally make a point 
of seeing in private those who are charged with capital 
offences, before they are removed to Newgate for trial ) 
in some cases I have been sent for after conviction ; by 
this means I have had many opportunities of learning 
from the prisoners themselves the course which has led 
them into crime ; and have generally found that the 
neglect or gross violation of the Sabbath has been one. 
The usual process has been impatience of parental re- 
straint, violation of the Sabbath, and the neglect of reli- 
gious ordinances ; evil association, especially with aban- 
doned females ; drunkenness, arising from attending 
public-houses, tea-gardens, &c. ; petty theft ; the want 
of character on leaving prison after the first conviction, 
and then a reckless course of confirmed guilt. I do not 
recollect a single case of capital offence where the party 
has not been a Sabbath-breaker ; and in many cases they 
have assured me that Sabbath-breaking was the first 
step in the course of crime. 

" Have confessions to that effect been frequent ? — 
Frequently have they acknowledged it, and in some cases 
they have requested me to warn others against it from 



124 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

their example. Indeed I may say, in reference to pri- 
soners of all classes, that in 19 cases out of 20, they are 
persons who have not only neglected the Sabbath, but all 
other ordinances of religion. So powerfully is my mind 
impressed with the subject, that I cannot forbear adding 
my conviction that Sabbath -breaking is not on]y a great 
national evil, but a fruitful source of immorality among 
all classes, and pre-eminently of profligacy and crime 
among the lower orders. 

" Do they allude to the profanation of the Sabbath on 
the part of the higher classes of society ? — Particularly 
so ; and justly allege that they cannot plead necessity as 
an excuse for their profaneness. 

" Have you in your experience heard prisoners regret 
that they had been so regardless of the Lord's- day ? — 
In many cases, as before stated. 

" Have you not often met with instances of persons 
about to expiate their crimes by an ignominious death, 
who have earnestly enforced on their surviving relatives 
the necessity of the strict observance of the Sabbath, 
and have ascribed their own departure from what is right 
to the non-observance of that day ? — Frequently, as 
stated in the former part of my evidence." 

" Mr. John Wontner, examined. 

cf What are you ? — I am keeper of Newgate. 

e< How many years have you been so ? — Ten years ; 
and six years a marshal of the city of London. 

" Have you had an opportunity of hearing any of the 
many prisoners who must have been under your care 
during that time, express any regret as to the desecration 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 125 

of the Lord's-day ? — I have heard many of them express 
their regret that their crimes have originated with a 
breach of the Sabbath. 

" Have they been in the habit of remonstrating on the 
non-observance of the Sabbath to their friends, or such 
of them as have visited them ? — I have known them 
caution their relatives and friends to observe the Sabbath, 
tracing their own crimes to the non-observance or to the 
breach of the Sabbath. 

" To what do they attribute the first step in their 
career of vice, namely, the breach of the Sabbath ; do 
they attribute it to being compelled to work, or to their 
habits of relaxation on that day ? — I believe most fre- 
quently to evil associations, and being drawn out by bad 
associates to the breach of the Sabbath." 



" Mr. Benjamin Baker, examined. 

" Have you been much in the habit of visiting the 
prisoners in Newgate ? — Yes ; for 20 years past. 

" In your experience, have you found the prisoners, 
when duly impressed with a sense of their departure from 
the ways of truth and rectitude, seem to lament their 
neglect of the duties of the Sabbath? — Almost uni- 
versally. 

" Have they considered it as a leading cause of their 
transgressions ? — I cannot exactly say that they have ex- 
pressed that ; but I think that almost universally they have 
said that was the principal thing ; that the deviation from 
the Sabbath led them on, step by step, into that degree of 
crime which had brought them there. 



126 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

" Then, in referring to their past life in a tone of re- 
gret, have they given a prominence to that fault ? — 
Almost universally. 

cf Have they shewn a disposition to warn others on 
that point ? — That is so likewise, and almost universally, 
when brought to a due sense of their crimes. I have made 
memorandums from time to time, and have got letters in- 
numerable, which will fully prove what I have stated. I 
can state, that almost uniformly, when they are brought 
to a true knowledge of their sin, they state that the great 
cause of their misconduct has been neglect of the Sabbath. 

" How many do you think you have attended in their 
last moments at the place of execution ? — I should sup- 
pose I have not attended less than 350, and perhaps 
more ; during 20 years I have attended almost every 
execution. 

" And in every case, where the parties have been 
brought to a sense of their condition, they have agreed in 
that sentiment ? — Nine out often have dated the principal 
part of their departure from God to the neglect of the 
Sabbath ; that has certainly been the case." 

The following touching communication was ad- 
dressed to the author, by the Rev. J. Davis, Ordinary 
of Newgate : beside illustrating the effects of dese- 
cration of the LordVday on man's spiritual and moral 
condition, it conveys a solemn warning to masters 
and mistresses to secure to their domestic servants 
its religious privileges ; and puts before parents, in a 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 127 

strpng light, the danger of placing their children in 
families or in situations in which they shall be re- 
quired to desecrate the LordVday : — 

" Her Majesty's Gaol, Newgate, Feb. 2, 1846. 

" Rev. Sir, — The motive seems so good in asking 
such a question as you do respecting the late convict 
Martha Browning, that I do not hesitate to say the un- 
happy young woman many times, and in the most marked 
manner, deplored her neglect of the Sabbath, and attri- 
buted her downfall to it. One mistress made her go 
through a very heavy wash on the Sunday. While in 
this place she had not once attended Divine worship ; 
neither her master or mistress ever went ; and her mis- 
tress used constantly to be occupied in needlework on that 
day. 

" There were remarkable points of character about this 
young woman. Among others, she felt that it was a 
duty to die for the sin she had committed. ' Thou shalt 
take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer.' 

" Before her day of execution was fixed, she said she 
should walk with a firm step to the scaffold. During 
the process of pinioning she was much excited, and 
greatly overcome with grief. The senior sheriff asked 
me to speak to her, and I reminded her of what she had 
so often said. In an instant she replied she was ready, 
and walked without support to the scaffold, All assist- 
ance was declined by her. 

" When on the scaffold, she commenced in a peculiarly 
plaintive voice this prayer : ' Lord, have mercy upon me, 



128 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

for Jesus Christ's sake ;' which sentence was repeated a 
number of times. To change the current of her thoughts, 
and thus relieve her mind, I commenced the Lord's 
Praver, to every word of which she responded in the 
same fervent and mournful, but impassioned, tone of 
voice. At the close of the petition, < Forgive us our 
trespasses/ &c, the drop fell, and all was over. 

" The parents of this unhappy young woman had 
brought her up religiously. They had family prayer in 
their house. Her declension, therefore, was the more 
remarkable ; and the testimony she gives to Sabbath- 
breaking as the cause leading to her great crime, the more 
deserving consideration. 

" It is ill-judged to speak in too strong terms of such 
heinous offenders, but there were all the outward signs of 
real penitence about her. She was most anxious that the 
effect of Sabbath-breaking upon her own mind should be 
known, and hoped it might be a warning to others. It 
is not, however, by might nor by power, but by my 
Spirit, saith the Lord, that any real reformation is to be 
wrought. — Yours, very faithfully, 

" John Davis, Ordinary of Newgate. " 

In an interesting work by the Rev. J. Kingsmill, 
Chaplain of the Model Prison, Pentonville, entitled 
" Prisons and Prisoners/' it is stated that out of 500 
prisoners, 141 regularly attended some place of 
worship some time of their lives ; but only 5 a short 
time previous to crime, (p, 33.) 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORd's-DAY. 129 

The effect of the restoration of Sabbath privileges 
is strikingly exemplified by the evidence of Mr. 
James Panther, before the Committee of the House 
of Commons of 1832 : — 

" Mr. James Panther, examined. 

" What is your business ? — My occupation is a clerk 
with a canal carrier. 

" In what house ? — John Whitehouse and Sons, carriers 
from Birmingham to London. 

" Are they in the habit of carrying on their business 
on Sunday ? — They have been in the habit of working 
their boats on Sunday, till within the last two months : 
they have come to the resolution of not doing so, in con- 
sequence of the state of the men ; by their not having 
proper instruction, they cannot trust them with any 
thing. 

" They have found that by depriving the men of the 
Sabbath-day they have become demoralized ? — En- 
tirely so. 

" Has there been sufficient time, since they departed 
from that practice, to see whether any good effect has 
been produced on the men ? — For my own part I can say, 
that since they have left off working on Sunday, when I 
have loaded the boats, I have noticed they have been 
loaded without an oath being sworn ; previous to this 
there would be an oath almost every word. Last week 
there was a boat laden out without an oath. Perhaps if 

K 



130 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

I were to tell it to persons who know the boatmen, they 
would not credit what I say." 

The following evidence of Dr. Farre, given before 
the Committee of the House of Commons of 1832, 
is well known : it has been since confirmed by the 
authority of other eminent physicans, as well as by 
general experience. It is so striking that it will be 
well to quote largely from it : — 

" John Richard Farre, M.D. examined. 

u You have practised as a physician for many years ? 
—Yes. 

" State the number of years. — Between thirty and 
forty. 

" Have you had occasion to observe the effect of the 
observance and non-observance of the seventh day of 
rest during- that time ? — I have. I have been in the 
habit during a great many years of considering the uses 
of the Sabbath, and of observing its abuses. The abuses 
are chiefly manifested in labour and dissipation. The 
use, medically speaking, is that of a day of rest. In a 
theological sense it is a holy rest, providing for the in- 
troduction of new and sublimer ideas into the mind of 
man, preparing him for his future state. As a day of 
rest, I view it as a day of compensation for the ina- 
dequate restorative power of the body under continued 
labour and excitement. A physician always has respect 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 131 

to the preservation of the restorative power ; because if 
once this be lost, his healing office is at an end. If I 
shew you, from the physiological view of the question, 
that there are provisions in the laws of nature which cor- 
respond with the Divine commandment, you will see from 
the analogy, that * the Sabbath was made for man/ as a 
necessary appointment. A physician is anxious to pre- 
serve the balance of circulation, as necessary to the re- 
storative power of the body. The ordinary exertions of 
man run down the circulation every day of his life ; and 
the first general law of nature by which God (who is not 
only the giver, but also the preserver and sustainer, of 
life,) prevents man from destroying himself, is the alter- 
nating of day with night, that repose may succeed action. 
But although the night apparently equalizes the circula- 
tion well, yet it does not sufficiently restore its balance 
for the attainment of a long life. Hence one day in seven, 
by the bounty of Providence, is thrown in as a day of 
compensation, to perfect by its repose the animal system. 
You may easily determine this question as a matter of 
fact by trying it on beasts of burden. Take that fine 
animal the horse, and work him to the full extent of his 
powers every day in the week, or give him rest one day 
in seven, and you will soon perceive, by the superior 
vigour with which he performs his functions on the other 
six days, that this rest is necessary to his well-being. 
Man, possessing a superior nature, is borne along by the 
very vigour of his mind, so that the injury of continued 
diurnal exertion and excitement on his animal system is 
not so immediately apparent as it is in the brute ; but in 
k2 



132 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

the long-run he breaks down more suddenly ; it abridges 
the length of his life, and that vigour of his old age 
which (as to mere animal power) ought to be the object 
of his preservation. I consider, therefore, that, in the 
bountiful provision of Providence for the preservation of 
human life, the sabbatical appointment is not, as it has 
been sometimes theologically viewed, simply a precept 
partaking of the nature of a political institution, but that 
it is to be numbered amongst the natural duties, if the 
preservation of life be admitted to be a duty, and the 
premature destruction of it a suicidal act. This is said 
simply as a physician, and without reference at all to the 
theological question : but if you consider further the 
proper effect of real Christianity, namely, peace of mind, 
confiding trust in God, and good will to man, you will 
perceive, in this source of renewed vigour to the mind, 
and through the mind to the body, an additional spring 
of life imparted from this higher use of the Sabbath as a 
holy rest. Were I to pursue this part of the question, 
I should be touching on the duties committed to the 
clergy ; but this I will say, that researches in physiology, 
by the analogy of the working of Providence in nature, 
will establish the truth of Revelation, and consequently 
shew that the Divine commandment is not to be con- 
sidered as an arbitrary enactment, but as an appointment 
necessary to man. This is the position in which I would 
place it, as contradistinguished from precept and legis- 
lation ; I would point out the sabbatical rest as necessary 
to man ; and that the great enemies of the Sabbath, and 
consequently the enemies of man, are all laborious exer* 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD^S-DAY. 133 

cises of the body or mind, and dissipation, which force 
the circulation on that day in which it should repose ; 
whilst relaxation from the ordinary cares of life, the en- 
joyment of this repose in the bosom of one's family, with 
the religious studies and duties which the day enjoins, 
not one of which, if rightly exercised, tends to abridge 
life, constitute the beneficial and appropriate service of 
the day. The student of nature, in becoming the student 
of Christ, will find, in the principles of his doctrine and 
law, and in the practical application of them, the only 
and perfect science which prolongs the present and per- 
fects the future life. 

" You are aware of the habits of the people of this me- 
tropolis ; and that a general opinion prevails, that what 
is called relaxation, attending tea-gardens and such places 
of amusement, is essential to the health of people who 
have been engaged in hard labour during other days of 
the week ; what is your opinion of such habits and such 
people ? — I think that, in as far as the habit tends to 
dissipation, it is positively injurious. 

Should you conceive that it was desirable the Legisla- 
ture should attempt to control such habits ? — It would 
place the Legislature under the most benevolent aspect, 
if it attempted, both by precept and example, to control 
all hurtful habits. I consider that the abuse of alcohol 
is* the most destructive of all the habits of British men ; 
and therefore all the facilities of obtaining it are so many 
means of depriving them of what really sustains them, 
and of giving to them that which destroys them. There 
is a peculiar character about the British nation, which I 



134 STATISTICS AND FACTS 



would express by the words, energy of character. This 
of itself tends so much to exhaust the man, that he may 
be somewhat excused for seeking means from without 
to stimulate him ; yet the habit of over-stimulation is the 
great evil of Englishmen, and the inducements held out 
on the Sunday, or day of relaxation, to drink, may be 
considered as one of the chief abuses of the Sabbath. I 
believe it is a more injurious abuse to the body than that 
of continued labour. 

" There can be no doubt, can there, that the change of 
air obtained by going to tea-gardens, into the country, 
must to a certain extent be beneficial to a man who has 
lived in a more confined air ? — Certainly. 

" But with a view to the habit that prevails, do you 
conceive the injuries they sustain counterbalance the 
good effects ? — They more than counterbalance them ; 
and the injury is in exact proportion to the extent to 
which they over-stimulate. Amongst the innumerable 
avenues to death, I have contented myself, in reference 
to the Sabbath, with pointing out the destructive effects 
of forcing the circulation by over-excitement from things 
taken into the stomach, and from undue exertions of body 
and mind. And in these respects, especially by continued 
excitement, the higher classes also injure themselves, as 
effectually as the lower do by mere labour of body or in- 
temperance in drinking. 

" Then your observations equally apply to all classes of 
society ? — To all classes, high and low. 

" Jn a physiological point of view, provided those stimu- 
lants were kept out of the way at those tea-gardens or 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORIES-DAY. 135 

coffee-houses, would you consider them still objectionable? 
— Physiologically considered, power saved is power gain- 
ed, and the waste of power from every kind of excitement 
defeats the purpose of the day. 

" So that, on the Sabbath, the labouring man is ex- 
pending the pow r ers of his body, instead of husbanding 
them for the following week ? — That is the fact ; and 
chiefly if the man be engaged in drinking : for I believe 
that the inducements held out are to drink, and that the 
practice is to drink. 

" The question is, whether, if the poorer sort were re- 
stricted to tea-gardens, the relaxation of tea-gardens would 
be prejudicial to their health ?— Of course exercise in the 
open air promotes health ; and it is partly by placing them 
in a state of temptation, and inducing them to do that which 
is hurtful, that such places of resort become objectionable. 
" You are of opinion that such are the temptations, 
that in 99 cases out of 100 the person who frequents the 
tea-gardens is tempted by alcohol ? — I cannot state the 
proportion of persons to whom it proves a temptation, 
but I think that the danger chiefly lies that way. I con- 
sider a relaxation from labour, and an enjoyment of mode- 
rate exercise in a pure air, is extremely beneficial ; but I 
do not consider the congregating of persons, and the over 
stimulation, whether it be of mind or simply the effect 
of alcohol, which is the result of those assemblies, as be- 
neficial. If that question be further pressed, I should be 
led to consider the positive injury done, for want of pro- 
per ventilation, to the best Christians in the assemblies 
of our churches. Religion in itself is a healing power. 



136 STATISTICS AND FACTS 






"If those tea-gardens were stript of pernicious liquors, 
do you think they would be hurtful to the health of so- 
ciety, or to those who frequent them ? — It is a dangerous 
question. To man, considered in his lower or animal 
nature, it would not be so prejudicial ; but man is some- 
thing better than an animal, and I think that devoting 
to pleasure the day of repose (which should be given to 
the rest of the body, and to that change of thought and 
exercise of mind which constitute the real source of in- 
vigoration), amidst multitudes congregated for purposes 
of pleasure, actually defeats the primaiy object of the 
institution of the Sabbath, as adapted to the higher 
nature of man. 

" Are you satisfied, from your own experience and 
observations during the many years you have been in 
your profession, that the present habit of excess on Sun- 
day is injurious to the mass of the population ? — An 
Englishman of the labouring class takes fewer enjoy- 
ments during the week than any other person. If he 
be an industrious man, he labours all the week, and in- 
jures himself even by the excess of his labour in working 
over-hours ; Sunday is his only day of refreshment ; and 
if I could persuade him to enjoy that relaxation in the 
bosom of his family, and to mingle with the religious duties 
of the day a moderate exercise, not carried to fatigue, in 
the open air, then I should be doing the poor man a 
service. 

" As a friend to humanity, you would desire some 
legislative protection to be given to the people of the 
country in regard to the observance of the Sabbath ?— 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 137 

In all that I have said I have reference, in my views of 
the Sabbath, to it as a sustaining, repairing, and healing 
power ; and I should rejoice if all of every rank in this 
country could be protected on this day of rest from over- 
excitement of body and mind, by which even its medical 
purpose of repose is defeated. 

" In your own practice, have you thought it necessary 
to carry on the whole of your occupation on a Sunday 
as on the other six days of the week ? — Certainly not. 

" Do you think your patients have suffered thereby ? — 
Certainly not. 

" Of course, in extreme cases you do ? — I consider 
that the two officers of healing, so to speak, are the 
clergyman and the medical man ; they are the only two 
classes of persons called on to labour on that day for the 
benefit of the community. I have found it essential to 
my own well-being to abridge my labour on the Sabbath 
to what is actually necessary. I have frequently ob- 
served the premature death of medical men from con- 
tinued exertion. In warm climates, and in active service, 
this is painfully apparent. 

" As a seventh day is absolutely necessary for the rest 
of man, what do you say to the habits of clergymen, who 
must of necessity labour on the seventh day ? — I have 
advised the clergyman, in lieu of his Sabbath, to rest one 
day in the week : it forms a continual prescription of 
mine. I have seen many destroyed by their duties on 
that day ; and to preserve others, I have frequently sus- 
pended them for a season from the discharge of those 
duties. 



i 



138 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

" So that the clergyman furnishes an illustration of 
your own principle, as to the ill effects of working on the 
seventh day continually ? — Yes, certainly. I would say 
further, that quitting the grosser evils of mere animal 
living from over- stimulation and undue exercise of body, 
the working of the mind in one continued train of thought 
is destructive of life in the most distinguished class of 
society, and that senators themselves stand in need of 
reform in that particular. I have observed many o: 
them destroyed by neglecting this economy of life. 

" Therefore to all men, of whatever class, who must 
necessarily be occupied six days in the week, you recom- 
mend them to abstain on the seventh, and in the course 
of life they would gain by it ? — Assuredly they would, 
by giving to their bodies the repose, and to their minds 
the change of ideas, suited to the day, for which it was 
appointed by unerring Wisdom. 

" And in fact more mental work would be accomplished 
in their lives ? — Certainly, by the increased vigour im- 
parted. 

" A human being is so constituted that he needs a day 
of rest both from mental and bodily labour ?— Certainly. 
You have drawn the inference, from the tenor of my evi- 
dence and argument, which I wish to leave on the mind 
of the legislative body." 

Mr. Wilberforce, speaking of Lord Londonderry's 
destroying himself, in 1822, says : — 

" The strong impression of my mind is, that it is the effect 
of the non-observance of the Sunday, both as abstracting 
from politics, and from the constant recurrence of the same 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 139 

reflections, and as correcting the false view of worldly things, 
and bringing them down to their true diminutiveness. ... It 
is very curious to hear the newspapers speaking of inces- 
sant application to business, forgetting that by the weekly 
admission of a day of rest, which our Maker has graciously 
enjoined, our faculties would be preserved from the effects 
of this constant strain. I am strongly impressed by the 
recollection of the endeavour to prevail on the lawyers to 
give up Sunday consultations, in which poor Romilly 
(who destroyed himself in 1818) would not concur. If 
he had suffered his mind to enjoy such occasional remis- 
sions, it is highly probable the strings would never have 
snapped as they did from over-tension." 

In a letter to Christophe, king of Hayti, dated 
Oct. 8, 1818, after recommending that his people 
abstain from their ordinary labours on the Sabbath, 
assuring him that at the year's end the sum of their 
labour will not be found to be lessened by this absti- 
nence, Mr. Wilberforce adds, — 

"I well remember that, during the war, when it was pro- 
posed to work all Sunday in one of the royal manu- 
factories (for a continuance, not for an occasional service), 
it was found that the workmen who obtained government 
consent to abstain from working on Sundays executed, 
in a few months, even more work than the others." 

The following letter, addressed by an Officer of 
Engineers to Mr. Melmoth Walters, of Bath, shews 
how strikingly the Sabbath institution is adapted 
to the physical constitution of man. 



140 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

"In gratitude for the ordination of the Sabbath, and 
in corroboration of the testimony borne by Dr. Farre and 
others to the value and inestimable blessing conferred on 
man by the ordinance of one day's rest in seven, I would 
mention to you a fact that came under my personal 
cognizance as a practical man. Having been desired, 
some few years ago, by the Government, to carry out an 
exploration of the then unknown forests of one of our 
colonies, I engaged a body of men composed of English, 
Irish, French, and Indians, both Protestants and Roman 
Catholics, such as I could pick up in the country, — 
some recommended for their knowledge of adjoining 
localities, others for their handiness in many useful arts 
requisite in camping and running straight lines in the 
dense forest, one for his culinary ability, but each for 
some useful quality. They were generally men of good 
character, honesty being the principal point to which I 
looked in hiring them ; but a few of them had been 
addicted to the too abundant use of spirituous liquors, 
although, I must say, the generality were sober, steady 
men. At any rate, their duties whilst in my employ 
entailed these qualities upon them ; for, after leaving the 
cleared country, we were absent for months from the 
civilized world, during which period our fare was of the 
most wholesome nature, although very rough and coarse ; 
each man being allowed as much salt pork and biscuit 
as he could eat in three meals, with tea and sugar at 
each, but no vegetables nor milk, and only occasionally 
a change from salt provisions, when we might shoot any 
large game, such as deer. The quantity of food taken 
into the woods as an allowance for each man was nearly 






IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 141 

a pound of pork, one and a quarter pound of biscuit, an 
ounce of tea, and half a pound of moist sugar per day ; 
the latter seeming an enormous quantity, but, on accoun t 
of unavoidable waste, not found to be excessive. It was 
also found useful in counteracting the effects of the salt 
provisions and dry biscuit, as was proved by not a single 
case of scurvy occurring during the exploration. I men- 
tion these particulars as shewing that, although occasion- 
ally reduced to great straits for food, and upon very short 
commons, the men were in general well fed, and had 
unlimited supplies of strong food (as the Indian calls it) 
found for them by the Government, such as few of our 
labouring classes can ever obtain ; and being also with- 
drawn from the enervating influences of strong drinks, 
were in a peculiarly favourable position to stand con- 
tinuous daily labour. Their bedding was as good, 
certainly, and in my opinion far superior, to that of the 
better class of our labouring population, as any one would 
testify who had experienced the comfort of the bed 
formed of the boughs of the sapin tree, as compared with 
the beds in the habitations of some of the rude back- 
wood settlements. Having started upon the exploration, 
in which the most anxious part of my duty was the 
keeping up of a steady and sufficient supply of the 
necessaries of life, and in which the transport of pro- 
visions (which was entirely effected upon the backs of 
the men, the woods being impassable for animals) was 
the most difficult and costly part of the duty, it became 
an object of the utmost importance to economize the 
time during which the consumption of food took place ; 



142 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

in other words, to get the most work upon the least 
quantity of food ; and therefore as men must eat on Sun- 
days as well as other days, if ever a case can be made out, 
upon which the Sabbath, as a day of rest, might be dis- 
pensed with, I think this will fairly be allowed to be 
a legitimate one — when every ounce of food was money 
saved, as well as anxiety, and that too to an extent 
scarcely to be believed by any one who has not experi- 
enced the difficulties and known the discontent produced 
in men by deficient supplies, to say nothing of the 
gnawings of hunger in one's own stomach ; for it must 
be remembered that all fared alike, and on more than 
one occasion the parties were reduced to less than a 
pound of biscuit per day for each man, which, with a 
plentiful supply of wholesome spring water, was their 
only sustenance, so that each and all were keenly alive 
to the necessity of economizing provisions. Now after a 
very considerable experience, I can bear my testimony, 
if it be necessary, to the fact, that the men had not the 
physical power to maintain their work continuously 
without the seventh day's rest — upon which, as it were, 
exhausted nature was restored — and a day of rest it 
most certainly was, for by the time we had encamped 
and got our supper, and were ready to lie down on Sa- 
turday night, until the reveille on Monday morning at 5 
o'clock, a space of 29 hours, I feel confident that I am 
within bounds when I say, that each man, myself 
included, passed generally 19 hours in sleep. Upon a 
few occasions I was driven by a short supply of provisions 
to make a forced march, so as to get into the cleared 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 143 

country, or to a depot, before they were exhausted, when 
we travelled on Sunday, so as to reach the point of 
supply on a Tuesday or Wednesday ; but I invariably 
remarked when we did so, that it was an overstraining 
of our powers, and that we were obliged, from sheer 
exhaustion, to devote a day to the repairs of tents, 
clothes, &c, or in other words, to seek repose from our 
heavier labours. In making this statement, it must be 
borne in mind that the labour was not of an ordinary 
character; consisting in carrying heavy burthens for about 
10 hours, and afterwards having to encamp, entailing 
during the winter months the excavation of snow to the 
extent of from two to four feet, and catting large supplies 
of fire-wood. I think it may fairly be argued, from this 
experience, that the ordination of the Sabbath is not 
only convenient, but that the All-wise Disposer of events 
has, in its institution, afforded us a lasting proof of his 
great consideration for the frailty of man, by regulating 
the requirements of His service in accordance with what 
I conceive to be the absolute necessities of our nature. 
I could say more on this subject as a practical man, but 
have already extended my letter beyond its intended 
limits. I think that it might be shewn, that in less 
arduous duties than those herein alluded to, the same 
remark holds good ; I have given you these facts of a 
peculiar case in which the men were well fed, well paid, 
and entirely night and day under my observation, as they 
were never scarcely out of my sight, and in a position 
where they could not be said to be weakened by dis- 



144 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

sipation or the too abundant use of intoxicating 
liquors. " 

The unintelligent beast which man is permitted 
to use for his own purpose, and which is a par- 
ticipator in some of the consequences of his fall, is, 
by the Divine mercy, included in the provisions and 
privileges of the Sabbath law, so far as they are 
applicable to it. Many proprietors of coaches, and 
persons conversant with horses, taught by experience, 
have testified to the fact that the health and strength 
of this useful creature are impaired, and the period 
during which it may be rendered available is short- 
ened, by not extending to it the seventh-day rest. 
The following extract from the " Mechanics' Maga- 
zine " is strikingly corroborative of this : — 

"The Bianconi Travelling Cars. — Down to as 
late a period as the year 1815, public conveyances were 
very scarce in Ireland, with the exception of the mail 
and day coaches. In July 1851, Mr. Bianconi, an Italian 
resident in Ireland, and since so celebrated for his ex- 
tensive car establishment, started his first car between 
Cahir and Clonmel, and at the latter end of the year he 
extended it to Tipperary and Limerick, and shortly 
afterwards to Carrick and Waterford. At present his 
establishment contains 110 vehicles, which travel from 
eight to ten miles per hour, the average fare for travelling 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD'S-DAY. 145 

being about l^d. per mile. The number of miles over 
which the cars travel daily is - 3806, passing through 140 
stations for the changes of horses. The annual con- 
sumption of hay is from 3000 to 4000 tons ; and of 
oats, from 30,000 to 40,000 barrels. None of the cars 
travel on Sunday, with the exception of those connected 
with the mail. Mr. Bianconi states that there is a 
saving of 13 per cent, from not working the horses on 
Sunday, finding it much easier to work a horse eight 
miles every week-day, in place of six miles, than an 
additional six miles on Sundays." 



In the preceding pages the author has referred 
to some of the principal desecrations of the Lord's- 
day, the injurious effects of which it would be im- 
possible to trace out to their full extent, and which 
are the chief causes of the absence of so large a 
proportion of the population from Divine worship. 
In the "City Mission Magazine" for January, 1852^ 
it is stated (page 6) that, in the year 1852, there 
are 1,800,000 persons who cannot hear the word of 
God, if they would do so ; and it is also added, " that 
200,000 of the provided sittings (in the metropolis) 
are empty ; in other words, out of 2,528,000 persons 
now congregated in our vast metropolis, the 528,000 
are found in the house of God on the Sabbath, while 
2,000,000 absent themselves ; or, confining the cal- 



146 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

culation to those who might reasonably be expected 
to attend, it appears that 528,000 are present, and 
988,000 remain away." 

This state of things will not surprise those who 
are acquainted with the numerous temptations held 
forth to the masses to desecrate the Sabbath, and 
to spend its sacred hours in purposes the very 
opposite to those for which it was intended. The 
active efforts made by Christian associations to 
spread the knowledge of the Gospel amongst the 
population, and to train up the otherwise neglected 
youth of the country in the nurture and admoni- 
tion of the Lord, are greatly neutralized, by the 
various inducements presented to them to make the 
Sabbath a time for gain or for pleasure, rather than 
for preparing for eternity. 

The good effects of the Sunday-school system 
must be universally acknowledged : indeed it is 
fearful to think in what a state we should be at the 
present time, had not the benevolent Raikes sug- 
gested this idea. Were it not for Sunday-schools, 
the moral condition of our population would be 
infinitely worse than it is. Still the Sunday-school 
system does not accomplish all the good it might 
do; and one of the chief causes operating to 
this end, is undoubtedly the desecration of the 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 147 

Lord's- day. The temptations to this sin, which 
assail the young on every side, prove in numerous 
instances too powerful to be resisted; the conse- 
quence is, as soon as they are freed from pa- 
rental control, they abandon the Sunday-school 
and the place of worship, and resort to haunts of 
pleasure and vice. The extent to which the in- 
fluence of the Sunday-school system is counteracted, 
by this and other causes of a kindred character, is 
illustrated by the following returns from several 
Chaplains of Prisons and Matrons of Penitentiaries, 
obtained by Mr. T. B. Smithies, of Islington, and 
extracted from a pamphlet entitled " Voices from 
Prisons and Penitentiaries": — 



PRISONS. 


to 

fc-c 


S o3 c3 

■- Z X 


Persons who supplied 
the Information,. 


Bath , 

Banff 


88 
9 

18 
100 
184 

21 

114 

99 
28 
32 

693 


47 
6 
14 
68 
106 
14 

83 
57 
23 
21 

439 
L $ 


Rev. W. C. Osborn, Chaplain 
James Lyon, Governor. 
H. Jones, Governor. 




Bedford County Prison 
Reading 


Rev. Geo. Maclear, Chaplain. 
J. Field. 




Rev. David Price, Chaplain. 

Rev. Henry Merves, Chaplain. 
The Chaplain. 

Rev. Griffith Thomas, Chap. 
,, Thomas Jones, ,, 

5 


Bucks County Prison, 
Aylesbury 


County Gaol, Cambridge 


Carmarthen Gaol 

Carried forward. , 



148 



STATISTICS AND FACTS 



Brought Forward. . 

Carnarvon Gaol 

Cornwall County Prison 
Derby County Gaol . . 
Derby Female Prison. . 
Devon County Gaol and 

Bridewell, Exeter. . . . 
Dorset County Gaol . . 
Durham County Prison 
Chelmsford, Spring- 

field — Males 

Ditto — Females.. . 

Flintshire Gaol 

Hereford 

Huntingdon County 

Prison . 

Maidstone County Gaol 
Preston House of Cor- 
rection 

New Bailey House of 

Correction, Salford. . 
Middlesex House of 

Detention ......... 

Monmouth County Gaol 
Montgomery Gaol .... 

Oxford Castle 

Haverfordwest Countv 

Gaol 

Salop County Prison • - 



693 

24 

121 

210 

28 

257 

1057 

220 

203 

12 

27 



70 
475 

266 

63 

90 

63 

32 

172 

37 

130 



439 
22 
63 

127 
22 

140 

723 

95 

119 

8 

19 

50 

45 
191 

181 

58 

50 
45 
20 



Rev. Thomas Thomas, Chap. 
Nich. Kendall, „ 

Geo. Pickering, ,, 

Mrs. M. A. Sims, Matron. 

Rev. W. B. Hellins, Chap. 
* ,, D. Clemetson, ,, 

,, G. H. Hamilton, „ 

G. B. Hamilton. 

Edward Richard, Governor. 
Rev. J. H. Barker, Chaplain. 

Henry A. Maule, ,, 
John Winter, ,, 

John Clay ,, 

+ „ C.F.Bagshawe,M.A. ,, 

George Jepson, ,, 
S. Barrett, Governor. 
John Lloyd, ,, 
Rev. G. A. Brown, Chaplain. 

,, W. W. Harris, 

,, D. Winstone, ,, 



Carried forward. . 4338 2546 



* This return embraces the total number of prisoners confined 
within the whole of the year; the chaplain (Rev. D. Clemetson) 
having kept a careful register of those who had been Sunday 
scholars. 

f The Rev. C. F. Bagshawe, M.A., Chaplain of the Salford New 
Bailey, has confined his report to the boys only. He further 
stated : " The number of convict boys admitted into this prison- 
school, from 12th April, 1842, to 30th November, 1849, has been 
1050, of whom 977 attended Sunday-school : 7 14 of these attended 
day and night schools. " 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD S-DAY. 



149 



Brought forward. . 
Bury St. Edmunds 

County Gaol 

Ipswich County Gaol. . 
Horsemonger - lane 

County Gaol 

Brixton House of Cor. . 

Kendal 

Kingston-upon-Hull .. 

Cupar Prison 

Glasgow Prisons •••... 

Stirling 

Rothsay 

Dundee 

Dolgelly 

Inverness 

Edinburgh 

Portland Prison 

Norwich . . . . , 

Hamilton 

Stafford 

Wakefield — Males .... 
Ditto — Females . . . 

York Castle 

Swansea 

Millbank — out of 968. . 
Renfrewshire County 

Prison 

Plymouth 

Coventry 

Perth 



Total 



4338 


2546 


97 


51 


120 


67 


167 


93 


253 


106 


16 


11 


144 


107 


63 


38 


749 


414 


99 


71 


6 


4 


203 


160 


6 


6 


38 


23 


553 


399 


825 


526 


30 


13 


42 


30 


408 


344 


340 


267 


60 


43 


70 


59 


32 


23 


562 


359 


162 


153 


43 


19 


82 


48 


432 

9960 


281 


6261 



Rev. Edward C. Wells, Chap. 
„ Henry Halls, ,, 

W.S.Rowe,M.A. 

George Allan, 

J. F. Black. 

J. Selkirk, 

A. Kerron, 

John Reid, 

J. Anderson, 
John Ray, Governor. 
Rev. Thos. Stirling, Chaplain. 
R. Owen, Governor. 
Rev. H. Mackenzie, Chaplain. 

J. Smith. ,, 

R. Blaythwayt, Chaplain. 

J. Hill, 
William Hatton, Keeper. 
Rev. T. Sedger, M.A., Chap. 

fW. T. Alderson, 

Rev. T. Sutton, Chapla 

E. B. Squire, 
J„ John Penny, 

W. Smith, 
G. Bellamy, 
P. S. Sundbuy, 
William Brown, 



* The Rev. J. F. Black stated the average term of attendance at 
Sunday-schools by these 1 1 prisoners was about 4 years. 

f Of the 310 prisoners in the Wakefield House of Correction who 
attended Sunday-school, the Rev. W. T. Alderson states, that after 
examining them separately, he ascertained that — 93 had attended 
Sunday-school upwards of 5 years ; 68 between 3 and 5 years ; 
59 between 2 and 3 years ; 47 between 1 and 2 years ; 43 under I 
year. Total, 310. 

{ The chaplain was unable to complete the examination of all 
the prisoners. 



150 



STATISTICS AND FACTS 



PENITENTIARIES. 



£ * 






Magdalen Asylum, 
Birmingham 

Bristol Penitentiary.... 

Exeter 

Gloucester Magd. Asy. 

Huddersfield workhouse 

Hull 

Benevolent Inst., L'pool 

Guardian Asy., Leeds.. 

Refuge for the Destitute, 
Hackney-road 

London Female Peni- 
tentiary, Pentonville. . 

Female Aid So.,& Home 
for Penitent Females.. 

Guardian Society Asy. 

Norfolk and Norwich 
Magdalen 

Newcastle-on-Tyne 
Penitentiary 

Nottingham Pen 

York Pen 

Total 



20 


12 


22 


19 


28 


26 


18 


17 


2 


2 


30 


23 


15 


11 


15 


14 


36 


22 


87 


68 


55 


27 


32 


22 


11 


9 


27 


23 


13 


8 


10 


8 


431 


311 



Names of Parties who 
supplied the Information. 



Mrs. E. Carpenter. 
Mrs. E. Saville, Matron. 
Mrs. M. M.Mayne, ,, 
Mrs. S. Wheeler, „ 
Jno. Berry, Master. 
Mrs. F. Mellin, Hon. Sec. 
Mrs. Cropper, Mem. C. 
Mrs. Mary Battery. 

Rev. S. C. Hooley, Chap. 

Mrs. H. Cooper, Matron. 

Mrs. M. J. Kemp, ,, 
Mrs. E. Dickens, ,, 

Mrs. M. A. Curson, „ 

Mrs. M. Robson, „ 
Mrs. E. Kerry, ,, 

Mrs. Piffe, „ 



From the foregoing returns, then, it appears that 
out of ten thousand three hundred and sixty-one in- 
mates of the principal prisons and penitentiaries of 
our country, not fewer than six thousand five hundred 
and seventy -two previously received instruction in 
Sabbath-schools. It is possible that many of these 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORd's-DAY. 151 

had attended the schools for a short period, and with 
much irregularity ; but still, admitting the 310 per- 
sons in the Wakefield House of Correction to fur- 
nish a fair average of the whole, it will be found that 
full fifty per cent, had attended Sabbath-schools for 
upwards of three years ! 

These statistics should not cause us to attach less 
importance to Sunday-schools; but rather to use 
efforts to remove those powerful agencies of evil 
in operation — and prominent amongst them the 
desecration of the Lord's-day — which so fearfully 
frustrate the good these invaluable institutions are 
calculated to effect. 

It is scarcely possible for a Christian mind to 
contemplate the wide-spread profanation of the 
Sabbath without concluding that something should 
be done to diminish it ; counteracting, as it does 
to a great extent, the efforts made to promote 
religion, and eating away the morality of the 
community. It must also be remembered, that 
it is an evil the nature of which is to increase 
and gain strength and permanency by neglect. It 
is, however, as certain as it is encouraging that 
it can be diminished and checked ; and that every 
endeavour in this direction is followed by some 



152 STATISTICS AND FACTS, ETC. 

beneficial result. The exertions which have been 
made, and their consequences so far as they have 
been apparent, will form the subject of the Second 
Part of this book. 



HISTORY OF EFFORTS 

TO PROMOTE THE 

DUE OBSERVANCE OE THE 
LORD'S-DAY. 



This account will commence with the year 
1831, when the Society to promote the due Ob- 
servance of the LordVday was formed. From 
that period an accurate record of facts bearing 
on this subject has been kept by the Society, and 
materials of an authentic character for a history 
of the question have been colleeted. From the 
earliest times the Lord's- day has been regarded 
with reverence in these islands, even from the 
introduction of Christianity. Laws to protect the 
sanctity of the Lord's- day were made by King Ina, 
about the year 688 ; by Alfred, in the year 876 ; 
by Edward, his son, about the year 912 ; by Edgar, 
about the year 966 ; and by Canute, about the year 
1026.* The legislative enactments subsequently 

* A Treatise of the Sabbath-day, by Dr. Fr. White, Lord 
Bishop of Ely. London: 1636. 



154 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

passed, and still on our Statute-book, indicate clearly 
that this subject continued, in all periods of our 
history, to be one of interest and importance in pub- 
lic esteem. Mention of the observance of the Lord's- 
day is made at a very remote period of the history 
of Ireland, before the errors of Popery had corrupted 
the purity of the Christian faith in that country. 

With this brief allusion to the history of the ob- 
servance of the LordVday before the year 1831, 
we shall now proceed to detail it since that time ; 
studying the same conciseness which has been all 
through consulted, and which is absolutely necessary 
to prevent this book acquiring a size on many 
grounds undesirable. 

It would be appropriate to mention here the cir- 
cumstances which led to the formation of the LordV 
day Observance Society ; as that Society has been 
instrumental in exercising a considerable check on 
the desecration ot the LordVday. Its effects are to 
be estimated, not so much by the positive results of its 
exertions, — although they are neither few, nor unim- 
portant, — as by considering how much worse the 
desecration of the LordVday would have been, than 
it is, had not such a Society existed to oppose its 
progress. The Society has been identified more or 
or less with every movement of a public character 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 155 

relating to the LordVday which has taken place since 
its formation. 

In the year 1830, a Letter had been addressed 
by Dr. Blomfield, Lord Bishop of London, to the 
inhabitants of London and Westminster, calling 
their attention to the desecration of the LordVday 
which prevailed, and the importance of its due 
observance. Sermons inculcating this duty were in 
consequence preached throughout the diocese of 
London generally ; and a volume of sermons on the 
subject was published by the Rev. Daniel Wilson, 
at that time vicar of Islington, now Lord Bishop of 
Calcutta, which deserves special mention, owing 
to the ability with which the question is treated. 
By these means public attention was strongly drawn 
to the subject : it was universally felt and admitted 
that the LordVday was greatly desecrated; and 
that much ignorance existed as to the Scriptural 
basis on which the duty rested. It is very possible 
that this feeling, however strong, would have soon 
subsided, and that no public practical result would 
have followed, had not the idea suggested itself to 
the mind of Mr. Joseph Wilson, then of Clapham 
Common, at a time when the effect of associated 
effort was not so well understood as at present, 



156 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

that a society should be formed to promote the 
due observance of the LordVday. Mr. Wil- 
son consulted the Bishop of Calcutta as to the 
expediency of such a step. The proposal at once 
received the approval of his Lordship, who pre- 
pared a statement of the object and principles of 
the Society, and of the rules by which its pro- 
ceedings were to be directed. These rules were 
subsequently adopted at a numerous meeting 
of friends of the observance of the LordVday, 
who met at the house of Mr. "Wilson. The 
Society was accordingly formed ; Mr. Wilson 
accepting the office of its Honorary Secretary ; in 
which capacity he has continued, by his gra- 
tuitous personal exertions and counsel, to foster 
the Society which he was thus instrumental in 
founding. 

The following resolutions, adopted at the first 
public meeting of the Society, embody the principles 
on which it is based, and its objects : — 

" I. That this Meeting is firmly persuaded that the 
dedication of one day in every seven to religious rest, and 
the worship of Almighty God, is of Divine authority 
and perpetual obligation, as a characteristic of revealed 
religion during all its successive periods ; having been 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 157 

enjoined upon man at the creation — recognised and 
confirmed in the most solemn manner in the Ten 
Commandments — urged by the Prophets as an essen- 
tial duty, about to form a part of the institutions 
of the Messiah's kingdom — vindicated by our Divine 
Lord from the unauthorized additions and impo- 
sitions of the Jewish teachers — transferred by Him and 
his Apostles, upon the abrogation of the ceremonies of 
the Mosaic Law, to the first day of the week, in com- 
memoration of the resurrection of Christ, and on that 
account called the < Lord's- day ' — and finally esta- 
blished in more than all its primitive glory as an ordinance 
of the spiritual universal Church of the New Testament, 
and a standing pledge and foretaste of the eternal rest of 
Heaven. And that this Meeting believes that every per- 
son in a Christian country is bound in conscience to de- 
vote this seventh portion of his time to the honour of 
God ; — by resting from the business of his calling ; by 
abstaining altogether from the pursuit of gain, and from 
ordinary pastimes and recreations ; by guarding against 
every worldly avocation and interruption ; and by spend- 
ing the entire day in the public and private duties of 
religion, with the exception of such w r orks of necessity 
and charity as our Saviour, by His example, was pleased 
to allow and commend : so as to designate this one day 
of rest and Divine service, after six days of labour, as a 
more distinguished privilege of the Christian than it was 
of the Patriarchal and Jewish dispensations. 

" II. That this Meeting witnesses with sorrow and 
alarm the attempts which have of late years been delibe- 



158 STATISTICS AND FACTS 



vine 



rately and systematically made to impugn the Divine 
obligation of the Lord's-day, and to remove the founda- 
tions of the duty of keeping it holy, from the express 
command of God, to the uncertain dictates of human 
authority and expediency ; thus virtually releasing the 
consciences of men from the paramount claims of this 
primeval ordinance, as repeated in the Fourth Command- 
ment, and affording to its actual profanation excuse and 
encouragement. And this Meeting cannot but further 
lament the licence which has thus been given, perhaps 
often unintentionally, to the corrupt propensities of our 
fallen nature, generally, in their opposition to the worship 
of God ; as well as the countenance which has been lent, in 
particular, to the carelessness of the worldly-minded, and 
the impieties of the sceptical and profane. 

" III. That this Meeting contemplates also with grief 
and dismay the present widely-extended violations of the 
Lord's-day, which have arisen from these and other 
causes : — the many infractions of its primary duties which 
are too often exhibited by the great and the wealthy, and 
which are thus diffused through all classes of the com- 
munity ; the opening of shops, and the trafficking in the 
early part of the day, for which the late payment of work- 
men's wages on the Saturday is often made an excuse ; 
the encroaching abuses and disorders of beer and spirit 
houses ; the multiplication of tea-gardens and other places 
of public resort for amusement and dissipation ; the sys- 
tematic violation of the Christian Sabbath by steam-ves- 
sels, carriages on rail-roads, stage-coaches, barges, packets, 
and other public conveyances ; and, above all, the enor- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 159 

mous evil of the Sunday newspapers, which are published 
and vended, with pernicious diligence, openly trampling 
upon the first duties of Christianity, and introducing all 
that destruction of the great principles of morals and reli- 
gion which a Sunday Press necessarily involves. And 
that this Meeting believes that these and other instances 
of contempt and profanation of the Lord's-day are already 
threatening a general dissoluteness of manners, and are 
loosening those bonds of civil order and religious obe- 
dience by which the tranquillity of nations is maintained, 
" IV. That this Meeting is persuaded that it is the para- 
mount duty of a Christian nation to confess its allegiance 
to Almighty God, and its faith in a Divine Redeemer, 
by honouring in every proper manner this solemn insti- 
tution — by encouraging amongst all classes of persons 
the due observance of its sanctity — by making the most 
ample provision for the public worship of God — by dis- 
couraging and repressing open inroads upon its sacred 
duties — by inserting suitable guards for its observance, 
wherever necessary, in new Acts of Parliament — by pro- 
viding for the suppression of outrageous offences — by 
reviving and amending the Statutes which have become 
obsolete and inefficient — and by doing everything in its 
power to defend, mildly and firmly, the Christian Sabbath 
from open violence and desecration : so as not to inter- 
fere with the conscience of individuals in their private 
and retired sentiments or conduct, or to attempt anything 
beyond that protection of this fundamental institution of 
Revealed Religion which it is the province of a Chris- 
tian legislature to afford. And this Meeting considers 
the British nation as more especially bound to grant this 



160 STATISTICS AND FACTS 



orcl's- 



protection, because the Divine authority of the Lord's 
day has ever been admitted and acknowledged as a law of 
the land, however particular enactments may have fallen 
into disuse or become ineffective. 

" V. That this Meeting is persuaded that the welfare 
of nations is intimately connected with the due sanctifi- 
cation of the Christian Sabbath ; as it lies at the founda- 
tion of all practical religion, and is the season peculiarly 
appointed for instructing mankind in the doctrines and 
duties of Christianity ; and also as the conscientious 
observance of it tends to secure the blessing of God, 
while its violation brings down his severest judgments 
upon all the undertakings and interests of a nation ; 
that the favour and blessing of the Almighty are the 
only source of peace and tranquillity, and His displeasure 
the most certain precursor of confusion and ruin ; that 
the Divine chastisements now abroad in the world place 
before us with awful warning the critical danger of neg- 
lecting any of the appointments of Christianity, or of 
subtracting any portion of the time which our Creator 
claims for His immediate service ; and that a contempt 
of the Sabbath, at all times sinful and criminal, would be 
more signally so at this period, when that very contempt 
has visibly led to the fearful decay, and in many places 
almost extinction, of spiritual religion among the nations 
of the Continent, and to the proportionate growth of 
superstition, profaneness, Neologism, Socinianism, and 
Infidelity ; and has been visited with a series of tremen- 
dous judgments, during the last forty years, which hold 
them up to us as beacons to avoid their sins, if we would 
escape their punishment. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 161 

" VI. That this Meeting, being persuaded that Al- 
mighty God will favour every sincere endeavour to 
confess His truth and glorify His name in the midst of 
the infidelity and lukewarmness which surround us, is 
desirous to attempt something, however feebly, for the 
vindication and revival of the dignity and authority of 
the Lord's-day> on the basis of its Divine institution, and 
its indissoluble connection with all the various and im- 
mense spiritual and temporal blessings which Christianity 
is designed to diffuse. That each of its members will 
endeavour to scrutinize and amend his own spirit and 
conduct ; to exert all due influence with his domestics 
and dependants, and among his neighbours and trades- 
men ; to aim at raising the tone of sentiment and feeling 
among all classes of society, from the highest to the 
lowest ; and to promote and encourage earnest prayer to 
Almighty God for the grace of His Holy Spirit to 
accompany and bless the efforts which may be made to 
further this momentous object. 

" That this Meeting rejoices in the interest which is 
beginning to appear in different parts of the country in 
this sacred cause ; and relies on the active co-operation 
of all the sincere followers of our Divine Redeemer and 
Lord, to aid it in the plans which it may adopt, consist- 
ently with the spirit of the Gospel, for advancing the 
scriptural honour and sanctification of the day on which 
the consummation of His sacrifice has ever been cele- 
brated in the universal Christian Church. 

" VII. That a Society be now formed, consisting of 
such persons as approve of the above resolutions, and 

M 



162 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

subscribe the sum required by the rules to be hereafter 
agreed to, to be designated " The Society for Promoting 
the Due Observance of the Lord's-day ;" the objects of 
which shall be — 

" 1. To diffuse information as widely as possible on 
the subject, by the publication and circulation of 
Books and Tracts on the Divine authority of the 
Institution — on the objections raised against it — on 
its practical duties — its unnumbered benefits — the 
prevailing violations of it — the new inroads made 
on its sanctity — the best means of abating or pre- 
venting those evils, and promoting the sanctification 
of the day — and on similar topics. 

" 2. To adopt all such measures, consistent with 
Scriptural principles, as may appear best adapted 
to lead to a due observance of the Lord's-day in 
the Metropolis, and throughout the Empire. 

"3. To open a correspondence throughout the 
British Empire, and if possible on the continent of 
Europe, and wherever else suitable opportunities may 
occur, for the purpose of forming Local Associations, 
and for maintaining a friendly intercourse with socie 
ties already existing, or that may be established, with 
the view of promoting the due observance of the 
Lord's-day. 

" 4. To aid, as far as the funds of the Society may 
allow, the Local Associations which may most 
stand in need of support. 

"5. To promote, by all proper measures, Petitions 
to the Legislature, throughout the country, for the 
enactment of such laws as may be necessary for re- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 163 

pressing the open violation of the Lord's-day, and 
for protecting the Christian worshipper in the peace- 
ful exercise of his duties. 

" 6. And generally to form a point of union, if God 
should be pleased to bless the design, for the efforts 
which may be made in every part of the world 
towards this great object." 

1831-2. — The first year of the Society's exist- 
ence was occupied in opening a correspondence all 
through the kingdom ; the result of which clearly 
shewed that the Lord's-day was fearfully desecrated 
in all parts of the country ; and that this desecration 
was on the increase, owing to the want of church 
accommodation, and the various inducements held 
forth to the population, particularly in the large 
towns, to seek their own pleasure on the Lord's- day. 
It was also ascertained that great numbers of 
persons mourned over this prevailing disregard for 
the LordVday, but considered it almost a hopeless 
thing to check the progress of the evil by isolated 
efforts : all such rejoiced at the formation of the 
Society, and expressed their readiness to assist in 
its efforts. 

The Society formed Associations, to co-operate 
with it in its objects, in many places : it also 
prepared and widely circulated Tracts, on the 
m 2 



164 STATISTICS AND FACTS 






importance of the Observance of the LordVday, 
addressed to the Higher Orders, to the Clergy, 
to Masters and Heads of Families, to Trades 
men and Shopkeepers. 

It likewise instituted an inquiry into the laws in 
existence for protecting the sanctity of the Lord's- 
day : this inquiry led to the conclusion that, owing to 
their inefficiency, improved legislation on the subject 
was greatly needed. 

When a bill for the amendment of the act which 
authorized the establishment of Beer -houses was 
under the consideration of Parliament/ the Society 
originated Petitions, praying for the insertion of 
certain clauses prohibiting the sale of beer on the 
LordVday. The dissolution of Parliament, however, 
prevented the Society prosecuting this object. 

1832-3.— A resolution was adopted by a ma- 
jority of the proprietors of the Zoological Society 
in the Regent's Park, to open the gardens to the 
public on the Lord's-day. The Lord's-day Observ- 
ance Society vainly used its influence to prevent the 
adoption of this resolution. 

Sir A. Agnew, Bart., moved for a select committee 
of the House of Commons, to receive evidence on 
the inefficient state of the laws respecting the Lord's- 









IN REFERENCE TO THE LORIES-DAY. 165 

I 

day. It was appointed on the 3rd July, 1832, and 
a voluminous body of evidence was furnished by 
persons of different grades and professions, during 
the seventeen days the committee sat. This evidence 
disclosed the fearful extent to which desecration of 
the LordVday prevailed, and fully established the 
necessity for an amendment of the existing laws for 
promoting its due observance. 

The following are extracts from the Report of the 
Committee on the evidence taken before them : — 

3. " Your Committee regret to be under the necessity 
of stating, that the evidence which has been submitted 
to them exhibits a systematic and widely spread violation 
of the Lord's-day, which, in their judgment, cannot 
fail to be highly injurious to the best interests of the 
people, and which is calculated to bring down upon the 
country the Divine displeasure/' 

17. " To satisfy the House of the total inefficiency of 
the existing penalties against buying and selling, it is 
only necessary to refer to the testimony of the several 
Magistrates whom your Committee have examined. 
Some Sunday traders have been known openly to mock 
at them, and have even offered to pay them six months 
in advance, to save the trouble of informations ; boasting 
that their gains were so great on Sunday mornings that 
they could well afford to pay 5s. out of them." 

23. " In recommending a general revision and amend- 
ment of the laws for the observance of the Sabbath, it 



166 STATISTICS AND FACTS 









should be observed, that Sunday labour is generally- 
looked upon as degradation ; and it appears in evidence, 
that in each trade, in proportion to its disregard of the 
Lord's-day, is the immorality of those engaged in it." 

24. " The workmen are aware, and the masters in 
many trades admit the fact, that were the Sunday labour 
to cease, it would occasion no diminution of the 
weekly wages.'* 

27. "Your Committee have approached the subject 
committed to their investigation impressed with a deep 
sense, not only of its importance, but also of the diffi- 
culties which are generally supposed to attend it. The 
weight of the evidence presented to them has nevertheless 
led them to concur in recommending an amendment of 
the law, as both indispensable and practicable. The 
letter no less than the spirit of English legislation, since 
the Reformation, in relation to the observance of the 
Lord's-day, has uniformly been directed against all 
desecrations of it, by the exercise of any worldly labour, 
business, or € ordinary calling ' on that day, as will be 
seen by referring to the abstract of the laws contained in 
the Appendix. But whilst the tenor of the law has been 
favourable to the maintenance of this most important in- 
stitution of the Christian religion, — the more or less 
decorous observance of which may be considered, at any 
given time, to afford the safest test of the greater or less 
degree of moral and religious feeling pervading the com- 
munity, — it is much to be deplored that, owing in a great 
measure to the difficulties attending a due enforcement 
of its provisions, the absence of adequate penalties, and 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 167 

the defective mode prescribed for recovering them, — but 
owing still more to the lax spirit of the age in reference 
to religious obligation, — the law itself is found to be prac- 
tically insufficient to secure the objects for which it pro- 
fesses to provide." 

28. " Your Committee, however, whilst thus recom- 
mending an emendation of the law, as necessary to put 
down gross desecrations of the Lord's-day, and to enable 
all classes to avail themselves of its privileges, avow that, 
in anticipating an improved observance of it as the result 
of more efficient laws, they rely chiefly on the moral 
support which these would receive, as well from the 
highest authorities of the Church, its clergy, and minis- 
ters of all denominations, as from the example of the 
upper classes, the magistracy, and all respectable heads 
of families ; and it may be added, from the increasing 
conviction of all classes, derived from experience, of the 
value of the day of rest to themselves." 

36. "Your Committee beg the House distinctly to 
understand that they are very far from wishing that the 
legislature should revert to the principle of the fourteenth 
section of the Act 1, and the fifth section of the Act 23, 
of Queen Elizabeth, whereby forbearing to ' repair to 
church, chapel, or place of common prayer' subjected 
the individual to heavy penalties : on the contrary, they 
are fully impressed with the truth of the remark given 
in evidence by the Bishop of London, that such provisions 
were s a mistake in legislation/ But it is one thing to 
force the conscience of a man, and it is another to protect 
his civil liberty, of worshipping God according to his 



168 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

conscience on the Lord's-day, from the avaricious or dis- 
orderly encroachments of his unconscientious neighbour/' 
40. " Your Committee are of opinion that the amend- 
ment of the law which they have ventured to recommend, 
is not only in itself a proper and necessary measure, but? 
moreover, that the moral influence over all classes of 
men, which will be produced by the very fact of the 
attention of the Legislature being directed to this subject, 
will in itself be very considerable. Nor can it reasonably 
be doubted, that by means of such amendments a con- 
siderable attention would be given to the temporal com- 
forts of individuals, more especially those in the middle and 
lower classes of society. Indeed, in the words of one of 
the witnesses examined by your Committee, (confirmed 
by the testimony of many others,) the tradesmen them- 
selves would consider a more strict law for the observance 
of that day, not as a restraint, but ' as a blessing/ 
Your Committee feel assured that an increase of true 
religion must also follow, inasmuch as many persons, 
thus favoured with an entire day of rest, would be led to 
employ it for religious purposes ; and that a great ac- 
cession would accrue to the strength and prosperity of 
the state itself, arising out of the improved tone of morals 
which a due observance of the Sabbath-day invariably 
produces : and there are, moreover, abundant grounds, 
both in the word of God and in the history of past ages, 
to expect that His blessing and favour would accompany 
such an endeavour to promote the honour due to His 
holy name and commandment." 

41. "Your Committee conclude with expressing their 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY/. 169 

earnest hope, that early in the ensuing session the House 
will take into consideration the suggestions which they 
have made, and especially the evidence on which these 
suggestions are founded, with a view to amending the 
laws relating to the observance of the Lord's-day." 

1833-4. — Numerous petitions were presented 
from all parts of the kingdom, praying for 
the interference of the Legislature in behalf of 
those who needed the protection of more efficient 
laws to enable them to enjoy without loss or injury 
the privileges of the LordVday : the number of 
these petitions, up to May 24, 1833, amounted to 
1060, signed by 261,706 persons. 

Sir Andrew Agnew introduced a bill in the ses- 
sion of 1833, the provisions of which were in accor- 
dance with the prayers of these petitions, and with 
the recommendations of the Committee of 1832 : 
this bill passed the first reading with difficulty, and 
was finally lost on the second reading. 

Upon the rejection of this bill, Sir Andrew Agnew 
introduced a bill to enable the election of officers 
of corporations and other public companies, now 
required to be held on the Lord's-day, to be held 
on the Saturday next preceding, or on the Monday 
next ensuing. This Act received the royal assent 
July 24, 1833, and is the 3 & 4 William IV. c. 31. 
The operation of this Act has been very beneficial in 



170 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

putting an end to many glaring desecrations of the 
Lord's-day. He also introduced another bill, for 
removing Saturday and Monday markets to other 
days of the week ; but being unfavourably received 
by the House, it was withdrawn. 

Mr. W. Petre, member for Bodmin, immediately 
after introduced a bill to amend and consolidate 
the laws respecting the LordVday. This bill was 
founded merely on expediency, and did not recognise 
the Divine authority of the Lord's-day : it was 
consequently opposed by the friends of the Lord's- 
day in the House, as well as by those who regarded 
the agitation of this subject with dislike. The debate 
on the second reading having been adjourned, Mr. 
Poulter did not bring it before the House again, but 
withdrew the bill, owing to the opposition it met 
with from all quarters. 

A great many publications were issued by the 
Lord's-day Observance Society, and widely circu- 
lated ; amongst them, Addresses to Coach Drivers 
and "Waggoners ; to Keepers of Inns and Taverns ; 
to Seamen ; On the Nature and Obligation of the 
Christian Sabbath ; Hints to Travellers on the 
Continent. 

1834-5. — The attention of the Lord's-day Obser- 
vance Society was directed to the desecration of the 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORd's-DAY. 171 

LordVday on the Thames by steam-boats carrying 
passengers for pleasure : on board one steamer 
there were as many as 1200 persons, on board 
another there were 600 persons, on a certain Sunday. 

In the county of Derby, 70 Associations were 
formed to co-operate with the Society, the effects 
of which were seen in an increased attendance at 
the churches of the parishes comprised in them. 

The Auxiliary Society established in Derby cir- 
culated 55,000 publications on the subject of the 
due observance of the Lord's- day; and twenty- 
eight public meetings were held in the county j so 
great was the interest excited in the subject. 

Associations were also formed in some towns in 
Ireland to promote the object. The Synod of Ulster 
particularly called the attention of their Presbyteries 
to the importance of increased efforts to check the 
growing desecration of the LordVday : active exer- 
tions were also made in various parts of Wales with 
the same view, especially by the Calvinistic Me- 
thodists. 

The General Assembly in Scotland, having ap- 
pointed a Committee to report upon the extent of 
Sabbath profanation in that country, resolved, at their 
meeting in June 1834, to issue a Pastoral admoni- 
tion, to be read by all their ministers from their 



172 STATISTICS AND FACTS 






respective pulpits on the LordVday. The Wes- 
leyau Methodists also, in all parts of the kingdom, 
zealously co-operated in efforts to promote the ob- 
servance of the LordVday. 

The Elatmen and Bargemen employed on the 
Mersey and IrwelL, petitioned the company of pro- 
prietors to be relieved from labour on the LordV 
day. A suspension of labour on Sundays, in conse- 
quence, took place; and such was the gratitude of the 
men for this restoration of the privileges of the 
Christian Sabbath, that by working late on Satur- 
day night, and proceeding on their passage the 
earliest hour on Monday morning, they performed 
in six days the same amount of work as they did 
before during the seven continuous days of labour. 

The Lord's- day Society opened a correspondence 
with Vevey in the Canton de Vaud, where a Society 
had been formed to promote the observance of the 
Lord's- day. 

In the session of 1834, Sir Andrew Agnew again 
renewed his efforts to obtain an amendment of the 
laws respecting the LordVday : he introduced a bill 
for extending to all classes that protection in the 
enjoyment of its privileges which was so generally 
desired. The bill was read the first time without a 
division : it was, however, thrown out on the second 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 173 

reading, though numerous petitions in its favour 
were presented from all parts of the country. 

A bill was introduced in the House of Lords, 
by Lord Wynford, entitled, "An Act for the 
better Observance of the LordVday, and the more 
effectual Prevention of Drunkenness." It passed 
the second reading, and was then withdrawn. The 
withdrawal of this bill was not regretted by the 
friends of the observance of the LordVday generally, 
as some of its clauses seriously compromised the 
principle of the Sabbath institution, by sanctioning 
travelling, the sale of intoxicating drinks, and baking, 
on the LordVday. 

At the same time, Mr. Hesketh Fleetwood brought 
in a bill in the House of Commons, entitled, " A 
Bill to facilitate and promote the better and more 
regular Observance of the LordVday, commonly 
called Sunday." This bill proposed some valuable 
amendments of the existing laws on the LordVday; 
but whilst repealing some old statutes, it did not re- 
enact the substance of their provisions ; and in some 
respects it sanctioned proceedings at variance with 
the due observance of the LordVday : it was lost 
on the second reading. 

Mr. Poulter, about the same time, brought in a 
bill, entitled, " A Bill to render more effectual an 



174 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

Act of the 29th of King Charles II., for the better 
Observance of the Lord's-day." On the 4th June, 
1834, this bill passed through a committee pro 
forma, with the understanding that the debate 
should be taken " in bringing up the report." On the 
2nd July the details were taken into consideration, 
when clauses being struck out, and amendments 
introduced, which entirely altered the original 
object of the bill, it passed as amended on the 
report. Further alterations, of the same objectionable 
character, being proposed at its third reading, it was 
opposed by all in the House who were friendly to the 
observance of the LordVday, and was, happily, 
thrown out. 

In the same session of 1834, Sir Andrew Agnew 
again introduced a bill for the purpose of removing 
Saturday and Monday fairs and markets to other 
days. It was, however, as on the former occasion, 
rejected. 

The Lord's-day Observance Society addressed 
memorials to the Directors of Railway Companies, 
earnestly entreating them to have clauses intro- 
duced into the railway bills proposed to Parlia- 
ment, to prevent the conveyance of passengers on 
the LordVday ; and, at the same time, they urged 
upon their friends and correspondents, who resided in 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORDVDAY. 175 

the neighbourhoods through which the lines were to 
pass, to petition Parliament to the same effect, and to 
request their representatives to support the petitions. 

1835-6. — Several railway bills passed the House of 
Commons, having a clause prohibiting the running 
of trains on the LordVday. These clauses were, in 
every case, struck out in their passage through the 
House of Lords; and thus railway traffic on the 
LordVday received the sanction of the Legislature. 
A similar course was pursued in reference to a bill 
for establishing a cattle-market in Islington. 

The number of Licensed Coaches in 1835 was 
2950 : of these, 1521 were licensed to travel on the 
LordVday; performing on each Sunday 8294 
journeys. This number did not include hackney- 
coaches or cabriolets. 

A great increase took place in the number of 
Associations, formed in all parts of the kingdom, to 
co-operate with the LordVday Observance Society. 

At the anniversary meeting of the LordVday Ob- 
servance Society, the Lord Bishop of London, in la- 
menting the spiritual destitution of the metropolis, an- 
nounced his proposal for building fifty new churches. 

1836-7. — A conversation took place in the House 



176 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

of Commons, which caused the friends of the observ- 
ance of the LordVday to apprehend that a design 
was entertained to introduce a new kind of labour 
into the London Post-office, by transmitting country 
letters through London on the LordVday ; which, 
besides being objectionable in itself, was justly re- 
garded as a preliminary step to having a delivery of 
letters in London on Sundays. 

Public meetings were held in many of the Lon- 
don parishes for the purpose of forming associations 
to co-operate with the Lord's-day Observance 
Society : similar meetings were also held in various 
towns in the country. The efforts, originated at these 
meetings, to promote the due observance of the 
LordVday in the several localities, were productive 
of the most beneficial effect. 

The Messrs. Whitehouse and Sons, carriers on 
an extensive scale on the Grand Junction Canal, 
came to a resolution to stop their boats during the 
four-and-twenty hours of the LordVday. 

The Rev. John Davies, of St. Clement's, Worces- 
ter, delivered lectures in Worcester and other towns 
on the degraded condition of boatmen, in conse- 
quence of their being deprived of the priviliges of 
the LordVday. 

The Clergy of the parish of Marylebone cir- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 177 

culated an address, calling the attention of the in- 
habitants to the obligation of observing the Lord's- 
day ; and the Clergy of the deanery of Southward 
assembled at the request of the Rural Dean, came to 
a resolution to preach in their respective churches on 
the subject. 

- A judgment of great importance was given in 
the House of Lords, by the Lord Chancellor, Lord 
Brougham, and Lord Wynford, on appeal from the 
sentence of a court in Scotland, — deciding that a 
master hairdresser could not compel his apprentice 
to assist him in his worldly calling on the Lord's- 
day. Much legal ingenuity was used in order to 
prove that the practice in question came within the 
excepted cases of piety, mercy, and necessity; but 
this plea w T as overruled by the learned Judges. 

In April, 1836, Sir Andrew Agnew again intro- 
duced a general measure to promote the observance 
of the LordVday. It passed the first reading, but 
was thrown out on the second reading. 

1837-8. — The railway system now began to be pro- 
minently instrumental in the desecration of theLordV 
day, by affording facilities for travelling : and even at 
this early period, when it was as yet in its infancy, the 
friends of the Observance of the LordVday felt the 
necessity of carefully watching its progress, and of 

N 



178 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

using efforts to check the tendency to disregard the 
Divine command its promoters evinced. 

The increased and successful efforts made in this 
year to promote church extension, is a gratifying 
feature in its religious history, and particularly as 
bearing on the observance of the LordVday; for 
there can be no doubt but that want of church 
accommodation, and the deficient accommodation 
supplied to the poor, were causes which contributed 
to induce habits of non-attendance at Divine wor- 
ship. The Bishops of London and Chester were 
foremost in the work of church extension in their 
respective dioceses, in which the vast increase of 
population, without a proportionate increase in 
churches, caused the want to be most felt. 

The beneficial effects of the Associations formed 
in different parts of the kingdom began to be ap- 
parent : the extent of the desecration of the Lord's- 
day in many localities was ascertained, and efforts 
were made to diminish it. The president of one 
Association reported, that in the course of six 
months much good had been done ; that a great re- 
form had taken place; and that the labourers formerly 
paid late on Saturday were then paid on Friday; 
that few shops were open on Sunday ; and that the 
general habits of the people were improved. 

The Rev. John Davies, of Worcester, continued 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 179 

with undiminished activity his exertions to call 
public attention to the condition of the men em- 
ployed on canals and navigable rivers, and his en- 
deavours to improve it. The degradation of this 
class was great. A person who had been conver- 
sant with them, as a lock-keeper, for twelve years, 
thus describes them. (( The boatmen, who, almost 
without exception, work on the Sabbath, are of such 
abandoned conduct that they generally shorten 
their lives by it. There are scarcely any men now 
living who were in the employment twelve years 
since. Their language is very profane; they are 
generally given to intemperance, and ruin their con- 
stitutions by these and other vices. They are 
in the practice of robbing the wine and spirits 
in the boats. Though there are a few solitary 
instances of sober men, yet one does not know a 
boat's crew consisting of three or four who are so." 

He describes thus their sensibility to their degra- 
dation, and to its cause, the privation of Sabbath 
privileges. " If reproved for any sin, they reply : 
'What is the use of leaving off our sins? we are 
obliged to break the Sabbath, and if we break one 
commandment we will break the whole ;' thus yielding 
to a sort of desperation in wickedness." The dis- 
closures of their feelings made by the boatmen to 
n 2 



180 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

Mr. Davies, however, shewed that they, in many 
instances, suffered much distress of conscience. One 
man declared that every step he took, when at work 
on Sunday, went to his very heart. Another, who 
had a wife and seven children, twice suffered himself 
to be thrown out of employment, rather than wound 
his conscience by working on the LordVday ; but 
the craving wants of a large family compelled him 
to resume his occupation. 

The Bishop of Worcester gave every encourage- 
ment in his power to Mr. Davies, and, at his request, 
licensed a clergyman specially to instruct the boat- 
men on the river Severn, and on the Worcester 
and Birmingham Canal. 

The parochial authorities in the metropolis inte- 
rested themselves in the subject, by using the power 
with which the laws entrusted them to diminish the 
profanation of the LordVday. The Middlesex 
Magistrates passed a resolution to represent to 
Government the importance of closing public-houses 
during the early part of the LordVday. 

At some of the annual meetings of the proprietors of 
railroad companies, individual shareholders proposed 
resolutions to stop the running of trains on the 
LordVday ; but in no one case did they succeed in 
their endeavours. 

A memorial was presented to the Council of the 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 181 

Zoological Society, signed by thirty-six of the Clergy 
of St. Pancras and St. Marylebone, in which parishes 
the gardens are situated, and supported by the Bishop 
of the diocese, praying that the gardens should 
be shut up on the Lord's-day. The Council professed 
their inability to comply, on the ground that it 
would be a violation of the rights and privileges of 
the Society. 

A bill was introduced into Parliament this session 
respecting the Hippodrome at Notting Hill, in which 
was a clause, admitting pedestrians to the Hippo- 
drome on Sundays, without making any charge 
whatever, for the purpose of walking therein at cer- 
tain specified hours, and enacting that no amuse- 
ments, pastimes, or recreations whatsoever should be 
carried on or permitted upon the premises on Sun- 
day, and that no spirits, beer, ale, porter, or other 
liquors or refreshments should be sold. It is painful 
to record that this clause was struck out of the bill 
by the Select Committee of the House of Commons, 
and the bill passed through all its stages in that 
House without its restoration. The Lord's-day Ob- 
servance Society, in conjunction with the Society for 
the Suppression of Vice, exerted itself strenuously 
and successfully in obtaining the restoration of this 
clause, in the passage of the bill through the House 
of Lords. 



182 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

Sir Andrew Agnew introduced another general 
bill into the House of Commons, founded on the 
Divine authority and perpetual obligation of the 
Sabbath institution. It was substantially the 
same as that which had been rejected in the year 
1833. The agitation of the question, both in and out 
of Parliament, in the mean time, had proved useful. 
This was apparent in the increased sympathy 
evinced by the country, as shewn by petitions in 
favour of the bill, and also by the altered tone both 
of the press and Legislature in reference to it. 
Doubtless the extraordinary union of perseverance 
and endurance of opposition and insult, so remark- 
ably combined in the character of Sir Andrew, 
greatly mitigated the feelings of hostility with 
which his measures were in former years regarded. 
The bill passed the first reading by a large and 
triumphant majority, and also the second reading. 
Thus its principle was recognised. The death of 
King William IV., however, caused the dissolution 
of Parliament, and consequently put a stop to the 
further progress of the measure. 

This was the last parliamentary effort to promote 
the observance of the LordVday of Sir A. Agnew, 
as he was not returned in the ensuing Parliament. 
His labours in this cause, however, did not terminate 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD ; S-DAY. 183 

with his career as a legislator : his efforts in the 
House of Commons produced a striking effect both on 
the Parliament and the country, in causing greater 
regard to be paid to the Lord's-day. The place 
of Sir Andrew in Parliament has not been since 
supplied; and it appears not at all likely that 
it will be. Pew indeed possess the moral courage 
and patience to persist in bringing before Parlia- 
ment a subject which excites the bitterest feelings 
of the human heart, because it censures its failings 
and is opposed to its love of the world. 

Mr. Plump tre introduced a bill into the House 
of Commons to prevent trading on the LordVday. 
Although the bill was rejected, yet it was discussed 
with an amount of consideration which favourably 
contrasted with the feeling exhibited towards mea- 
sures of this nature in past years. 

1838-9. — Efforts to promote the observance of 
the LordVday increased considerably in all parts of 
the kingdom ; and whilst the inquiries instituted 
disclosed a fearful amount of profanation of it, the 
results of these efforts were most encouraging. 
One mode of proceeding was remarkably successful, 
namely, that of deputations from the respectable 
inhabitants waiting on the shop-keepers and others 



184 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

who followed their ordinary business on Sunday, 
with a view of inducing them to relinquish the 
practice. Many were in this way prevailed upon to 
close their shops on Sundays. Endeavours were 
also made to prevail on individuals following the same 
calling to agree together to close their shops on Sun- 
days. These endeavours generally failed, owing to 
one or two persons declining to accede to this 
arrangement, or breaking through it. Still such 
attempts are desirable ; and although they may fail 
in their ultimate object, they answer the important 
end of keeping the consciences of tradespeople alive 
to the sin of thus profaning the Lord's-day, to which 
otherwise many of them would become insensible. 

At Ipswich a steamer ceased running on the 
Lord's-day, in consequence of an application made 
to the proprietors by the Association formed there 
to promote the observance of the LordVday. 
The interference of the Associations in the vicinity 
of lines of railway, in some instances, prevented the 
works being proceeded with on Sundays ; in the 
formation of the Great Western line of railway, and 
subsequently in that of other lines, much work having 
been done on Sundays, under the pretext of ena- 
bling the contractors to fulfil their engagements* 

The Liverpool Association to promote the Obser- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 185 

vance of the Lord's-day made an application to the 
boat-owners and coal-proprietors trading on the 
Leeds and Liverpool Canal to abstain from traffic on 
the LordVday : the majority of them complied with 
the request. The City of Dublin Steam Packet 
Company also discontinued running their Packets on 
Sundays. 

At Stow-market the bakers, by common agree- 
ment, ceased to bake on Sundays ; and although a 
little dissatisfaction was caused at first, it soon 
ceased to be expressed. 

In Liverpool, out of 185 hairdressers, 161 closed 
their shops on the Lord's- day. At Leamington the 
licensed coach and cab drivers were prohibited 
standing in the streets on Sundays ; and in Liverpool 
this class of men, of their own accord, resolved to 
petition the Town Council to carry into effect a 
similar prohibition. 

A deputation of Clergymen from the Association 
of South Staffordshire having attended a large 
meeting of the Iron-masters at Wolverhampton, to 
represent to them the importance of discontinuing 
the employment of their men in the furnaces and 
other labour on Sundays, the Masters passed a re- 
solution to the effect, that the members of the iron 
trade present could not pledge themselves wholly to 



186 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

abandon Sunday labour; but they would consider it 
their duty to reduce the amount of it to the lowest 
point consistent with the proper carrying on of their 
works during the remainder of the week. A consi- 
derable diminution of the number of men employed 
on Sundays followed, only five men being at work in 
some establishments, where formerly a hundred were 
engaged. 

At a numerous meeting of London chemists, drug- 
gists, and retail apothecaries, the following resolution 
was unanimously adopted: " That this meeting, in or- 
der to remove the impediments which at present exist 
to the due observance of the LordVday by chemists, 
druggists, and retail apothecaries, advise the entire 
closing of their shops on that day ; at the same time 
that they hold themselves ready to supply medicines 
in every case of necessity." 

A meeting of London bakers was held, at which 
the strongest desire was expressed to be relieved from 
what they called the oppression of Sunday labour. 

The subscribers to the Zoological Gardens of 
Manchester decided, by a majority of 81, not to 
open the gardens on the LordVday. 

At Newcastle-on-Tyne, when it was in contempla- 
tion to open the Botanical and Zoological Gardens, 
it was proposed as one of the rules, that the gardens 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORDVDAY. 187 

should be open on Sunday ; an amendment to the 
contrary being moved and lost, a large body of the 
subscribers withdrew from the concern, amongst 
whom was the Duke of Northumberland. 

Travelling on the LordVday on railways increased 
to such an extent as to call forth from the LordVday 
Observance Society a public expression of their appre- 
hension — one, as the result has shewn, but too well 
founded — that the evil would greatly increase, unless 
something were done to check it. At the suggestion 
of the Society, remonstrances were sent from many 
of their Associations to directors of railway com- 
panies, pointing out the sinfulness of unnecessary 
travelling on the LordVday, and the injurious effect 
the running of trains on the LordVday must have 
on the morals of their servants and of the population 
generally. 

The efforts made to improve the condition of the men 
employed on canals and navigable rivers began to pro- 
duce a beneficial effect : some canal proprietors and 
carriers of merchandise allowed their men a portion of 
the Sunday; and even this approach to the obser- 
vance of the LordVday, partial and insufficient as it 
was, was followed by a perceptible improvement in the 
character and conduct of the men. The Countess of 
Ellesmere presented the munificent donation of 



188 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

£400 for the erection of a Sunday and Infant 
School-rooms near the Duke of Bridgewater's Canal. 

The LordVday Observance Society appointed a 
Clergyman as travelling Secretary, whose duty it 
should be to preach ; put himself in correspondence 
with the Clergy, with a view of obtaining permission 
to preach in their parishes, on the subject of the 
Observance of the Lord's-day; to attend meet- 
ings, for the purpose of giving information ; and 
to organize Associations to co-operate with the 
Parent Society. It was felt desirable that a per- 
son should be appointed whose special duty it 
should be to devote himself to this work. Previously 
to this arrangement, the Honorary Secretary gra- 
tuitously visited many parts of England with this 
view. The Rev. W. Leeke, Honorary Secretary to 
the Derbyshire Society, was particularly active and 
successful in organizing Associations in that county ; 
and when the Parent Society required his assistance, 
visited also other parts of the country. 

It has been mentioned, that in the year 1837 a 
conversation took place in the House of Commons 
which led the friends of the observance of the LordV 
day to suspect that it was in contemplation to trans- 
mit country letters through London on Sundays, as 
a preliminary step to a delivery of letters in London 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdaY. 189 

on that day. In the session of 1838 the following 
resolution of a Select Committee of the House of Com- 
mons shewed that the suspicion was but too well 
founded : — " That it is the opinion of the Committee, 
that the rule observed at the London Post-office, of 
neither delivering nor forwarding letters on Sundays, 
creates in business days, in every week, throughout 
the country, one blank post-day to London, and ano- 
ther from London ; a restriction highly prejudicial to 
commerce, and injurious to the revenue of the Post- 
office. And this appears to your Committee especially 
vexatious as regards letters passing through London 
to and from the Continent ; which letters, though 
actually sorted and made ready for despatch by officers 
kept on duty at the Post-office on Sundays for that 
purpose, are yet allowed to accumulate there, for the 
greater part for thirty- sis hours : thus, while seven 
foreign mails are sent weekly from France, only six 
foreign mails are returned weekly to France from 
this country. Your Committee would therefore 
suggest that the principal General Post-office, and 
every branch Post-office in London, should be open 
on Sundays for the reception of letters, and also 
during certain hours for their delivery ; and that 
the mail bags should be despatched to and from 
London on every day in the week." 



190 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

It will be seen that the Committee altogether 
ignored the Divine command, and stigmatized the 
Divine arrangement of a seventh day's rest as 
vexatious. The feeling of dislike with which this 
recommendation was regarded by the inhabitants of 
London was all but unanimous ; and on this occasion 
the usefulness of the Society for Promoting the due 
Observance of the LordVday was seen. 

The Society applied to the Lord Bishop of 
London, who promptly offered his advice, and during 
the subsequent opposition to the measure, gave the 
Society the most efficient assistance. 

The Lord Bishop of Winchester also evinced a 
similar anxiety to defeat a measure so calculated to 
secularize the population. The Society, under 
the sanction of these prelates, issued an Address to 
the Clergy of the dioceses of London and Winchester 
residing in and near the metropolis, urging them to 
oppose the measure. The Address was very gene- 
rally responded to. In some parishes vestries were 
held ; in others, public meetings were called, at 
which resolutions were passed disapproving of the 
resolution of the Committee, and memorials to the 
Treasury against it were adopted. 

The Lord Mayor of London, in reply to an applica- 
tion from the Lord's-day Observance Society, assured 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 191 

them of all the assistance he could give them in his 
official capacity; and at a Court of Common Council, 
when a resolution was unanimously passed condemn- 
ing the opening of the Post-office on the LordVday, 
his Lordshippublicly declared his readiness to go to the 
foot of the Throne with an address from the Corpora- 
tion of London deprecating the measure. At several 
of the meetings of the Wardmotes of the City, held 
for the selection of officers, strong resolutions con- 
demnatory of the measure were adopted, and for- 
warded to the Lords of the Treasury. 

The bankers, merchants, solicitors, stock-brokers, 
coal-factors, silk manufacturers, and warehousemen, 
in their separate bodies, also forwarded memorials to 
the same quarter, the Lord's-day Observance Society 
preparing the memorials and collecting the signa- 
tures. 

The several congregations of the Wesleyans in 
London, as also upwards of six thousand teachers of 
Sunday-schools of that connection, memorialized the 
Treasury against the measure. 

Lord Melbourne and the Chancellor of the Ex- 
chequer, at the request of the Lord Bishop of 
London, consented to receive a deputation from the 
bankers, merchants, solicitors, and stock-brokers of 
London, whose object it was to urge upon the Go- 



192 STATISTICS AND TACTS 

vernment the serious injury that would ensue if the 
resolution of the Committee of the House of Com- 
mons were carried into effect. The deputation 
comprised the Lord Mayor and several members 
of the House of Commons. 

Lord Melbourne assured the deputation that it was 
not the intention of Her Majesty's Government to 
carry out the resolution of the Select Com- 
mittee of the House of Commons, so far as it related 
to the delivery of letters in London, or their de- 
spatch therefrom, on Sundays. And as to that part 
of the resolution which related to the transmission 
of letters coming from the country or foreign parts, 
the Chancellor of the Exchequer added, that the 
Government would take no part in promoting it ; 
that it should be carried out only by an enactment 
of the legislature ; but that the Government would 
not originate the measure in Parliament. 

The Lord's-day Observance Society, feeling that 
the discussion which arose respecting the opening of 
the London Post-office on the LordVday afforded 
them a favourable opportunity of calling public atten- 
tion generally to the desecration of the Lord's- day 
which took place in the Post-office Department 
by the transmission and delivery of letters through- 
out the country, circulated very extensively an 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 193 

Address, in which they urged their friends to memo- 
rialize the Government, and to petition the Legisla- 
ture, against the transmission of the mails or the 
delivery of letters on the LordVday. 

The Address excited considerable attention, and a 
great many of the large manufacturing and port 
towns acted on its suggestions : amongst them, 
Liverpool, Manchester, Chester, Bath, Leeds, Derby, 
and Wolverhampton. The petitions to Parliament 
from the smaller towns were also very numerous : 
forty-two petitions proceeded from Derbyshire alone, 
and as many from Staffordshire. Numbers of per- 
sons also, in all parts of the kingdom, attached their 
names to orders addressed to the Postmasters, 
desiring that letters might not be delivered to them 
on the Lord's-day. About 1500 persons in Derby 
signed an order to this effect \ and three townships in 
the neighbourhood of Wolverhampton applied to the 
Postmaster -General, requesting that their letters 
might be detained in that town on the LordVday ; 
to which request the Postmaster-General acceded. 
The arrangements of the General Post-office ap- 
peared to the friends of the Observance of the Lord's- 
day to be very anomalous, there being all through 
the country one day in every week on which no 
letters were received from London, and one day on 
o 



194 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

which none were sent to London, neither of these 
days being the LordVday : they therefore natu- 
rally suggested, as in every respect a more desirable 
arrangement, that the running of the mail should 
be suspended, not only from London, but also from 
the country, during the four-and-twenty hours of 
the LordVday : that thus there would be still but 
one blank day everywhere. That the fears of the 
inconvenience of such an arrangement were ground- 
less, was manifest from the fact that the inhabitants 
of the metropolis regarded it as a great privilege 
that there was no delivery of letters there on Sun- 
day; as respected the country, it would merely 
change the blank day already existing there to the 
LordVday. 

The active measures taken by the LordVday Ob- 
servance Society on the occasion just mentioned, 
clearly averted the execution of a design which would 
have inevitably led to the delivery of letters in London 
on Sundays. 

At a public meeting held in Edinburgh, in Janu- 
ary 1839, a society was formed, designated "The 
Scottish Society for Promoting the due Observance 
of the LordVday." The principles of this Society 
were entirely in unison with those of the London 
Lord's- day Observance Society. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 195 

Great progress was made in Church Extension, 
particularly in the metropolis, under the auspices 
of the Lord Bishop of London. The population every- 
where had far outgrown the existing church accom- 
modation ; so that an increase of places of worship 
became an object of serious moment to all who were 
concerned in the religious condition of the country. 

The sermons of the Lord Bishop of Calcutta on 
the Observance of the Lord's-day were translated 
into the French language, by the Society of the 
Canton de Vaud, and circulated in Switzerland and 
France. Some of the Tracts of the LordVday Ob- 
servance Society were also translated into the 
French language, and circulated in France. 

1839-40. — An important clause conducive to the 
observance of the LordVday was introduced into 
the Act for the Improvement of the Police of 
the Metropolis : it prohibited the opening of all 
public-houses from twelve o'clock on Saturday night 
until one o'clock in the afternoon of the Lord's* 
day : it extended to fifteen miles round London. 
The good effects resulting from this clause are uni- 
versally admitted : they were apparent immediately 
the Act came into operation, in the diminution in the 
o2 



196 STATISTICS AND FACTS. 






number of charges at the various police offices on 
the Monday, particularly for drunkenness, and in 
a marked improvement in the quiet aspect of the 
streets on the LordVday. Avery general feeling of 
thankfulness prevailed amongst the humbler classes 
in London, that the temptations to which they had 
been exposed had been taken out of their way. 

The Master Bakers of the metropolis formed 
themselves into a society, called "The Sunday 
Baking Abolition Society." They published and cir- 
culated several addresses to the public, complaining 
of the aggravation of their already laborious duties, 
by being required to bake dinners on Sunday ; and 
they expressed their conviction, that nothing short of 
a legislative enactment could remedy the evil : their 
journeymen, amounting to between eight and nine 
thousand, had in consequence no time to attend 
Divine worship, or take needful rest. In addition to 
the practice complained of, they were required 
to prepare the sponge in the afternoon, and to com- 
mence work again at eleven o'clock at night, Two 
petitions were presented to the House of Commons ; 
one from the master bakers, by 1086 masters ; and 
the other from the journeymen, signed by 3026 ; 
praying that the clause in the Bakers' Act which 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 197 

allows baking on the LordVday might be altered. 
Petitions to the same effect were presented to the 
House of Lords, 

The churchwardens of the metropolitan and sub- 
urban parishes held a meeting in the vestry-room 
of St. Martin's in the Fields, in Westminster, in 
January 1840, at which they adopted resolutions to 
seek for legislative enactments to put a stop to Sun- 
day trading. Petitions to Parliament to this effect 
were in consequence signed by a large number of 
churchwardens. It was felt that voluntary efforts 
on the part of shopkeepers themselves were always 
frustrated by the breach of the agreement made to 
close on the LordVday by some of the parties who 
had consented to it, or by others refusing to accede 
to it. 

The Garden of the Royal Botanical Society of 
London, formed in the inner circle of the Regent's 
Park, was, by the rules of the Society, closed on the 
LordVday, presenting a pleasing contrast to the 
Garden of the Zoological Society. 

The Newsvenders of London formed a committee 
for the purpose of procuring for themselves a cessa- 
tion from labour on the LordVday : they presented 
a memorial to the proprietors of the Sunday press, 
in which they solicited them to publish their papers 



198 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

on Saturday: they stated it as a heavy grievance, 
that after the fatigues of the previous week, many of 
them were obliged to rise at five, four, or even three 
o'clock on Sunday mornings, to follow their ordinary 
avocations. 

The degraded condition of Boatmen, consequent 
on their privation of the privileges of the LordVday, 
was prominently brought under public attention, 
owing to the trial and conviction of three men of 
this class for the murder of a woman, under circum- 
stances of great aggravation, on the Lord's-day. 
The awfully neglected state of boatmen was thus 
described by Baron Gurney, the judge who tried 
them, in passing sentence of death upon them : — 
" He was afraid no men in this country were so des- 
titute of all moral culture as boatmen : they were 
continually wandering about ; they knew no Sabbath, 
possessed no means of religious instruction.*" Con- 
tinued efforts were made to improve their condition. 
In many cases the clergy residing near canals and 
rivers assembled the men for religious instruction 
as they found opportunity. 

The Boatmen themselves, in many instances, 
evinced at once a sense of their degradation and its 
cause, in endeavours to prevail on their employers to 
grant them the privileges of the Sabbath. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 199 

A memorial was addressed to the Trustees of the 
river Weaver, in Cheshire, signed by the salt pro- 
prietors, the bargemen, and others employed on the 
river, praying that no boats should be permitted to 
pass through the locks on the LordVday. The 
Trustees accordingly adopted the following resolu- 
tion : — " That no flat, boat, barge, lighter, or other 
vessel, do pass through any of the locks of the river 
Weaver on the Sabbath-day; the same to be con- 
sidered commencing at the hour of twelve o' clock on 
each Saturday night, and ending at the hour of 
twelve o'clock on the following Sunday night ; and 
that a fine, not exceeding <£10, be imposed upon 
every person offending against this by-law." 

Efforts were made, at some meetings of the pro- 
prietors of Railway Companies, to pass resolutions 
against the running of trains on the LordVday. 
At the half-yearly meeting of the North Midland 
Railway Company, Mr. Newton, of Derby, a director 
of the Company, proposed a resolution of this na- 
ture. Much discussion ensued. The motion, 
however, was lost ; 3792 having voted for it, and 
5498 against it. 

The feeling in favour of the cessation of Postal 
labour on the LordVday greatly increased through- 
out the country : it became a prominent topic at the 



200 STATISTICS AND FACTS 



various meetings held by the Society for Promoting 
the due Observance of the Lord ; s-day, and in 
consequenee efforts were made in many places to 
stop the local deliveries on Sundays. 

In Bath 2756 persons signed a requisition to the 
Post-master of that city to detain their Sunday 
letters till Monday morning. A memorial to the 
Lords of the Treasury, from the same city, against 
the running of the royal mail on the LordVday, 
was signed by 638 persons, including 6 bankers, 30 
solicitors, and some of the principal tradesmen. 
A petition to Parliament to the same effect was 
signed by 958 persons. 

At Newcastle-upon-Tyne it had been the habit 
not to deliver letters at the houses of the inhabi- 
tants on the Lord's-day : they were received by 
application at the Post-office. However, by an 
order from the Postmaster-General, it was directed 
that a delivery should take place on Sundays by the 
carriers, at the houses of the inhabitants, as on 
other days. A memorial was presented against this 
order, which was signed by the mayor, magistrates, 
most of the town council, the ministers of religion 
of all denominations, and four hundred of the lead- 
ing merchants of the place.' The order was in con- 
sequence rescinded. The following case of hardship, 



mg 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 201 

however, occurred in connection with this circum- 
stance : — Two of the letter-carriers refused, on 
religious grounds, to carry out the letters on the 
Lord's-day : they were admitted to be valuable and 
useful servants, one having been in his situation 
thirty-eight, and the other twenty years, and they had 
never expected, on accepting them, that a require- 
ment at variance with God's acknowledged com- 
mand, and their conscientious convictions, would 
be made of them. Nevertheless, they were both 
instantly dismissed by the Postmaster- General ; 
although a memorial, representing the hardship of 
their case, and praying for their restoration, was pre- 
sented to his Lordship, signed by 850 of the prin- 
cipal inhabitants of Newcastle. 

The LordVday Observance Society reported a 
great increase in the number of their Associations ; 
and Societies kindred in their principles and object, 
though independent of them, were formed in some 
places. 

The LordVday Observance Society established in 
Scotland, directed and fostered by Sir Andrew 
Agnew, Bart., exerted itself strenuously : it origi- 
nated petitions to both Houses of Parliament against 
the running of the royal mail. Those from Edin- 
burgh were signed by 2000 of the most respectable 



202 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

citizens. At the suggestion of this Society, petitions 
and memorials to the same effect were adopted by a 
large majority of the Company of Merchants of 
Edinburgh, and also an address to Her Majesty 
from the General Assembly. It circulated a large 
number of Tracts, and founded several Aux- 
iliary Societies ; and was the means, by memorial to 
the Duke of Hamilton, Hereditary Keeper of the 
Royal Domain, of putting an end to the sale of 
refreshments which regularly took place on the 
Queen's Mall every Lord's-day. 

An important conference was held in Edinburgh 
between the Commissioners of Police, the Magis- 
trates of the city, and the Justices of Peace for the 
county, upon the state of public-houses in that city 
on the LordVday; from which it appeared that 
drunkenness and crime of all kinds greatly increased 
in consequence of the sale of intoxicating liquors on 
that day. 

1840-1. — The Livery of London refused to elect 
Alderman Harmer to the office of Lord Mayor of the 
city, owing to the objections entertained by a majo- 
rity of them to the "Weekly Dispatch," of which Mr. 
Harmer was the proprietor. 

The number of weekly newspapers published in 
London was 59, of which 15 were published on 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 203 

Saturday. The total number published on Saturday 
and Sunday was about 132,000; of which number 
about 80,000 were printed and published after 12 
o' clock on Saturday night. 

A notice of a motion to close the Zoological Gar- 
dens on the Lord's-day having been given by one of 
the Fellows of the Society, the LordVday Observ- 
ance Society addressed letters to the Subscribers to 
the Gardens, urging them to attend the meeting, 
and to support the motion ; which was, however, lost 
by a large majority. 

The proprietors of the Botanical Gardens at Liver- 
pool passed a resolution to close the gardens on the 
Lord's-day. 

A letter from the Bishop of London, with a memo- 
rial, signed by the Clergy of all the parishes on the 
banks of the Thames between London Bridge and 
Staines, was presented to the Lord Mayor and 
Court of Aldermen, praying the Court to take into 
their consideration the desecration of the Lord's- 
day which took place on the river. The memorial 
stated that men and horses were employed as on 
ordinary days to tow the barges up and down the 
river, and that the persons in charge of the locks 
were kept occupied, with little intermission, from 
morning to night on the Lord's-day. The Court 
refused to comply with the prayer of the memorial, 



201 



STATISTICS AND FACTS 



on the ground that the increase of competition with 
railways rendered it imperative, with a view to 
securing ordinary profits, that the trade should 
proceed on Sundays as on ordinary days. Repre- 
sentations to the same effect were also addressed to 
the Commissioners of the Upper District of the 
Thames and Isis, by the Clergy whose parishes were 
situated on the bank of the river between Crickladeand 
Reading. The Commissioners received these repre- 
sentations with great respect, and came to a resolu- 
tion that no barge or boat should be allowed to pass 
any pound from ten in the morning until six in the 
evening of the LordVday. They stated that they 
feared to close the navigation for a longer period, as, 
by doing so, they would give an undue advantage for 
the carriage of goods by the Great Western Railway. 

The Trustees of the river Weaver, in Cheshire, 
succeeded in carrying a bill through Parliament, 
empowering them to appropriate a portion of the 
funds of the navigation to building and endowing 
three churches, with parsonage-houses, and schools 
for the instruction of the children, on the banks of 
the river. The bill met with great opposition in the 
House of Commons ; and there is little doubt but 
that it would have been rejected, but for the 
exertions of the Lord's-day Observance Society. 

An important meeting was held at Stafford, to form 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORDVDAY. 205 

an Association for promoting the moral and religious 
instruction of boatmen and others employed on the 
different canals in that county. The Lord Bishop 
of the diocese presided, and many of the influential 
gentlemen of the county, and of the clergy, were 
present. 

On the motion of Lord Normanby, the House of 
Lords appointed a Committee to inquire into the 
effects of Sunday labour on the men employed on 
canals and navigable rivers. Much interesting evi- 
dence was taken before this Committee. The 
LordVday Observance Society circulated, for ge- 
neral adoption, copies of petitions to Parliament, 
praying that all traffic on canals and navigable rivers 
on the LordVday might be prohibited. 

The employment of men on the LordVday in the 
formation of lines of railway greatly increased. The 
Associations to promote the Observance of the LordV 
day exerted themselves to put a stop to this evil in 
their respective neighbourhoods, and in some in- 
stances with success. The Bath Society, through 
its secretary, Mr. Melmoth Walters, summoned 
several labourers employed on the Great Western 
Railway, who were convicted by a magistrate, for 
working on the line on the LordVday. 



206 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

At Brighton, the Bishop of the diocese ineffectually 
expostulated with the Directors for carrying on the 
works on the Brighton line on the Lord's-day. 
Several influential gentlemen of the town also waited 
on the Bench of Magistrates to request their inter- 
ference to prevent this breach of the law. 

The Directors of the Birmingham and Gloucester 
Railway came to a resolution, at a special meeting 
of the proprietors, that no other trains should 
be run on that line on the Lord's- day, except 
those required by law for the conveyance of the 
mail. 

The Association established at Leamington to pro- 
mote the due Observance of the Lord's-day, dis- 
tinguished itself by its activity, as did also those in 
Bath and Derby. Through the instrumentality of 
the Leamington Association, every shop in that town 
was closed on the LordVday; and a notice was 
hung up in the several hotels, with the approbation 
of the landlords, requesting visitors to avoid giving 
unnecessary trouble on the Lord's-day. 

The Bath Association succeeded in abolishing 
Kingsdown Revel, which was annually held on the 
Sunday previous to Kingsdown Fair. 

A Society to promote the due Observance of the 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORDVDAY. 207 

LordVday was formed in Bristol, under the pre- 
sidency of the Bishop of the diocese. 

In Scotland, the General Assembly, and several of 
the Synods and Presbyteries, appointed standing 
Sabbath Committees, to watch over the habits of 
their several localities on the Lord's-day. 

At the recommendation of the Commission of the 
General Assembly, all the Presbyteries of the Church 
of Scotland memorialized the Postmaster-General 
against the exercise of the power, as regards the 
railways being formed in Scotland, of transmitting 
the mails on the LordVday. The Act of Parliament 
which gave the Postmaster-General this power was 
passed in the year 1838 ; the official replies to these 
memorials being unsatisfactory, the Commission of 
the General Assembly renewed its remonstrance, 
and adopted petitions to Parliament, praying that 
not only the mails might not be transmitted in 
Scotland on the LordVday, but that all Post-office 
labour might cease thereon. 

The Scottish Society for promoting the due 
Observance of the LordVday, under the presidency 
of Sir Andrew Agnew, Bart., was most active in pro- 
moting these various efforts. The Chairman and 
Directors of the Glasgow and Greenock Company 
made a special arrangement with the Postmaster- 



208 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

General^ which exempted them from transmitting 
the mails on the Lord' s- day. 

An important public meeting was held in Edin- 
burgh, at which Sir Andrew Agnew, Bart., pre- 
sided, from which issued an appeal to the Arch- 
bishop and Bishops of the United Church of Eng- 
land and Ireland, entreating them to use their 
influence with English shareholders in Scotch rail- 
ways, to aid in securing the observance of the 
LordVday on the railways in that country. 

1841-2. — No public movement of an unusual 
nature to promote the observance of the LordVday 
took place. There was a considerable extension of the 
influence of the LordVday Observance Society, 
through the formation of Associations in various 
places, by which efforts were originated to put a 
stop to local desecrations. The desecration of the 
LordVday in the Post-office department attracted 
increasing attention, and the number of persons 
increased in all parts of the country who refused to 
receive letters or newspapers on the LordVday. 

A Society to promote the due Observance of the 
Lord's- day was formed in Berlin. On the 1st 
of Jan. 1842, the Pastors of Berlin, fifty-seven in 
number, distributed a pastoral letter at the doors of 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 209 

all the churches of the town, entitled, " The Chris- 
tian Celebration of the Sabbath; a word of 
brotherly love to our flocks." 35,000 copies of this 
address were circulated on the occasion. It enforced 
the obligation and blessings of the Sabbath, and 
contained practical suggestions respecting its due 
observance. At a meeting of the Iron-merchants of 
Berlin, held in the Exchange, a unanimous resolution 
was adopted not to write letters on the Lord's-day, 
and to send their apprentices and clerks to public 
worship. 

The Glasgow Young Men's Society, for opposing 
secular labour on the Sabbath, was instituted in 
1841. Similar associations were formed in other 
towns in Scotland. 

1842-3. — Encouraged by the beneficial opera- 
tion of that clause in the Metropolitan Police Bill 
which enacts that public-houses within fifteen miles 
round London be closed from twelve o'clock on 
Saturday night till one o'clock on Sunday morning, 
a similar enactment was sought for, and obtained, 
by the inhabitants of Liverpool. From the period 
when this Act came into effect, a sensible diminution 
took place in the number of charges for drunkenness, 
and crime generally, brought before the magis- 
p 



210 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

trates on the Monday, in the town of Liverpool, 
according to the returns of the police. 

In the House of Commons, Mr. Hume moved an 
address to Her Majesty, praying that the British 
Museum, and other public institutions under the 
control of Government, should be open for the ad- 
mission of visitors on the afternoon of the LordV 
day. The motion was, however, successfully resisted, 
on the ground of protection to the servants of those 
institutions. 

The only Railway Company in Scotland which 
ran trains on the Lord's- day, was the Edinburgh 
and Glasgow. At every meeting of the proprietors 
the subject was discussed, and efforts were made to 
put a stop to the profanation of the Sabbath. 

With regard to the men employed on Canals, in 
addition to the churches built on the banks of the 
river Weaver for the instruction of the servants of 
that navigation, floating chapels were also provided 
at Worcester, Oxford, and Preston Brook. The 
Lord's-day Observance Society at Wigan engaged 
the services of a Scripture reader, whose duty it 
was to accompany the boatmen, and, whilst sail- 
ing, to read the Scriptures to them, and distribute 
religious tracts amongst them. Much good resulted 
from these various efforts to improve the condition 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD 5 S-DAY. 211 

of boatmen : it was observed, during the disturbances 
which took place about this time in the north of 
England, that the watermen who enjoyed religious 
privileges were in no instance concerned in the 
riots ; and that, instead of destroying, they protected 
the property of their masters. 

Meetings were held in the west of England in 
the cheese-making districts, in connection with the 
LordVday Observance Society. A farmer who was 
present at one of these meetings, tried the experi- 
ment of avoiding cheese-making on the LordVday, 
a practice prevalent in cheese-making districts, 
which causes a considerable portion of the female 
population to be employed on that day, and which 
is justified on the ground of necessity. The clergy- 
men of the parish wrote to the Secretary of the 
Society to say, that the experiment met with such 
entire success, that the farmer gained, rather than 
lost, by this new arrangement. 

The establishment of the practicability of avoiding 
labour on the LordVday in cheese-making was a 
very important point. The experiment has been 
since repeatedly tried, and with similar success. 

1843-4. — The increase in the number of churches 
built was very gratifying. It appeared from a Par- 
p 2 



212 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

liamentary return, that the number of churches built 
in England and Wales during the three years from 
1840 to 1843, was 313: notwithstanding, the defi- 
ciency of accommodation was still great. In Man- 
chester alone, church room was wanted for 150,000 
persons ; in Liverpool for 100,000 ; and in Birming- 
ham for 50,000 ; and in many other large towns in 
the same proportion. 

Many publications were issued from the Press, 
advocating the restoration of national holidays, and 
which placed the Lord's-day and Saints'-days on an 
equality as regarded the obligation on the conscience 
to observe them. 

The LordVday Observance Society urged its 
Associations in those towns where Money Orders 
were issued and paid on the LordVday, to memo- 
rialize the Postmaster-General against the practice. 
The recommendation of the Society was extensively 
adopted, but in no instance was a favourable 
reply received, or one containing any remark beyond 
the mere acknowledgment of the receipt of the 
memorial. 

A memorial signed by upwards of 1000 citizens of 
the town of Boston, in the United States, was ad- 
dressed to the Lords of Her Majesty's Treasury, 
praying that the day of sailing of the steamers carry- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 213 

ing the mails might be altered when, in ordinary 
course, it happened to fall on the LordVday. The 
memorial was forwarded through the Lord's- day 
Observance Society. Their Lordships refused to 
comply with the prayer of the memorial. 

Mr. Miles, one of the members for the county of 
Somerset, succeeded in carrying a motion, at the 
Somerset Spring Sessions, to the effect, u that the 
Clerk of the Peace make his precept for holding the 
next sessions returnable on Tuesday, instead of 
Monday, as heretofore •/' an arrangement which ob- 
viated much desecration of the LordVday. 

The number of railway trains run on the Lord's- 
day in England was great : in Scotland, on the con- 
trary, trains were run only on one line — namely, 
the Edinburgh and Glasgow — out of the eight lines 
open. At a meeting of the proprietors of that Com- 
pany, a motion was made proposing that all labour 
should cease thereon on the Lord's -day. There 
were against the motion 7727 votes ; in its favour, 
1277 : it was consequently lost. Sir Andrew Agnew, 
however, announced that it was the intention of 
himself and friends to renew the motion at every 
meeting of the shareholders. 

1844-5. — An important petition to the Secre- 



214 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

tary of State for the Home Department proceeded 
from the town of Liverpool, signed by 600 merchants 
and 5000 of the other inhabitants, praying that the 
practice in the Post-office of that town might be 
assimilated to that of London as regarded the Lord's- 
day. The prayer of the memorial was not, however, 
granted. A memorial from Belfast, to the Postmaster- 
General, praying that the delivery of letters by letter- 
carriers on the LordVday might altogether cease, 
was more successful; for an order was issued in 
consequence of the memorial, that there should be no 
delivery in future on Sunday by the carriers ; but 
that the office should be open for the delivery of 
letters at the office till 10 a.m. 

An interesting movement was made by the letter- 
carriers themselves in all the principal towns in 
England, to obtain a release from labour on the 
LordVday : they addressed an affecting appeal to 
the public, imploring them to forego the receipt of 
letters and newspapers on the LordVday. This 
movement was suppressed by the authorities of the 
Post-office ; but not sufficiently soon to prevent some 
results arising from the effort. A memorial was in 
consequence forwarded from the city of York, signed 
by 3500 of the letter-receiving inhabitants, including 
the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors, praying 






IN REFERENCE TO THE LORd's-DAY. 215 

the Postmaster- General to discontinue the delivery 
by letter-carriers on the Lord's-day. The prayer of 
the memorial was, however, refused. 

Excursion trains on the LordVday were adver- 
tised by some Railway Companies. The Brighton 
Railway Company took a lead in this new abuse of 
the railway system: some of the trains which ran 
on Sundays between London and Brighton consisted 
of 48 carriages, conveying as many as 1700 passen- 
gers, and extending nearly half a mile in length. 
Luggage trains were also run on many lines. 

In the month of August 1844, a bill was intro- 
duced by Government in the House of Commons, 
for regulating the running of railway trains, with 
a view to the accommodation of the humbler classes. 
In the bill, as introduced by Mr. Gladstone, this 
accommodation was to be provided for week-days 
only. An amendment was, however, moved and car- 
ried, to the effect, that it should be provided every day. 
A deputation from the Lord's-day Observance Society 
waited on the President of the Board of Trade, in 
order to obtain the omission of this clause in the 
Bill in its passage through the House of Lords. 
Eventually the bill passed, with the objectionable 
clause thus modified : " that whenever any railway 



216 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

should run any train whatever on the Sabbath-day, 
to such trains, or to one at least of any trains 
so run on that day, third-class carriages should be 
attached." Lord Wharncliffe, who proposed this 
modification, stated that nothing should appear in the 
Act to compel railway proprietors to run trains on 
Sundays. 

Many persons friendly to the Observance of the 
LordVday became shareholders in railways, solely 
with a view of being qualified to make efforts to put 
a stop to railway travelling on the LordVday at the 
periodical meetings of the proprietors. 

At a meeting of the Bristol and Gloucester Rail- 
way Company, held for the purpose of confirming 
an agreement entered into by their Directors for the 
transfer of their line to the Midland Counties 
Railway by a lease in perpetuity, they came to a 
resolution to call the attention of the proprietors of 
the Midland Railway Company to the fact, that in 
the management of the Birmingham and Gloucester 
and the Bristol and Gloucester Railway Companies, 
Sunday travelling had been avoided as much as 
possible ; and to express a hope that the same system 
would still be continued, as they were confident that 
thereby not only the interests of religion and mora- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 217 

lity, but also the prosperity of the undertaking, 
would be promoted. 

The Lord V day Observance Society circulated an 
address amongst Directors and Proprietors of Canals., 
calling their attention to the demoralization of 
boatmen, and entreating their co-operation in seek- 
ing a remedy for the evil from Parliament. Although 
much sympathy for the condition of the men was 
expressed, yet no effort of the nature suggested was 
made. The Society also prepared a petition to Par- 
liament to be signed by proprietors of Canals, and 
Canal traders generally. 

The Society also prepared a petition to Parlia- 
ment for general adoption, praying for amend- 
ment of the existing laws in reference to the Lord's- 
day. 112 petitions, signed by 10,317 persons, were 
in consequence presented during the session. 

An important deputation, consisting of Church- 
wardens of the metropolis, waited on Sir James 
Graham, Secretary of State for the Home Depart- 
partment, to urge upon the Government to introduce 
a bill to put a stop to Sunday trading. Sir James 
Graham requested that a memorial might be drawn 
up, embodying the views of the deputation, which 
he would submit to the law officers of the Crown, 
in order that they might prepare a bill in accordance 



218 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

with their wishes. The bill was, however, never intro- 
duced. 

Numerous petitions were presented to Parliament, 
signed almost exclusively by the working classes, 
praying that public-houses and beer-shops might be 
closed on the LordVday : the number of these 
petitions amounted to 772, signed by 165,147 
persons. 

The LordVday Observance Society presented an 
humble memorial to Her Majesty the Queen, a 
copy of which they also forwarded to His Royal 
Highness Prince Albert, in which they repre- 
sented the great desecration of the LordVday 
caused by Windsor Palace and Hampton Court being 
open to visitors thereon; and praying that they 
might be closed in future on that day. The receipt 
of the memorial was graciously acknowledged. 

At a meeting of Graziers, assembled for proposing 
some regulations respecting Smithfield market, a 
proposition was made for holding the principal 
market on Tuesday, instead of Monday ; an arrange- 
ment which would put a stop to much desecration 
of the LordVday, caused by the driving of cattle, 
and the preparations for the Monday market made 
on the LordVday : but so little encouragement was 
given to the proposal by the Corporation of London, 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 219 

that it was deemed advisable to take no further steps 
in the matter at that time. 

The exertions of the Associations established in 
various parts of the kingdom to promote the obser- 
vance of the Lord's- day were particularly active, and 
the number of the Associations was considerably 
increased. 

1845-6. —Mr. Roberton, president of the Sta- 
tistical Society of Manchester, read an interesting 
paper before the Society, on the subject of Rail- 
ways. In it he detailed the fearful demoralization 
prevailing amongst the men employed in the con- 
struction of the lines in cases where they were 
required to work on the LordVday,and where no pro- 
vision was made for their religious instruction. The 
Lord's-day Observance Society forwarded a copy of 
this important paper to the President of the Board 
of Trade, with a letter expressing a hope that mea- 
sures would be forthwith adopted to preserve the 
men employed in the construction of railways from 
the injurious consequences of such an utter disre- 
gard for their spiritual and moral well-being. The 
treatment of the men employed in the construction 
of the Chester and Holyhead line presented a 
favourable contrast to that of the class generally. 



220 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

The directors prescribed as conditions to their con- 
tractors, that the men should be paid in money, and 
that they should not be paid at public-houses ; and 
that the labourers should not be required to work 
on Sundays. The directors also employed Scripture 
readers to give religious instruction to the men. 

On the motion of the Hon. Mr. Bouverie, M.P. 
for Kilmarnock, a select committee was appointed 
to inquire into the condition of Railway labourers. 
The evidence taken before the committee fully con- 
firmed the statements and opinions of Mr. Roberton. 

The Eastern Counties Railway Company ran a 
special train on Easter Sunday, mainly with a view 
of conveying the frequenters of the Newmarket 
Races to the betting-rooms in that town, which are 
usually opened for the first time on Sunday evening. 
In the train were some of the directors, the secretary, 
and the principal engineer. While going with great 
velocity, the train ran off the line at a little distance 
from London ; one of the Company's servants was 
injured, but happily no lives were lost. 

Bills were extensively circulated in the town of 
Leeds announcing that special trains would run on 
the Sunday of the Halton Feast, to convey pas- 
sengers there. The Halton Feast is an annual scene 
of riot and dissipation, which occurs at the outskirts 



IK REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 221 

of Leeds, on the Lord's-day. A memorial, nume- 
rously and respectably signed, was speedily prepared, 
and forwarded to the chairman of the York and 
North Midland Railway Company, deprecating such 
an outrage on Christian principle and propriety. A 
reply was returned, to the effect that the train 
should not run. The Rev. Mr. Newstead, Wesleyan 
minister, was mainly instrumental in originating 
this memorial, and effecting this favourable result. 

Sunday the 30th Nov. 1845 was a day of great 
confusion throughout the kingdom; it being the 
final day fixed for receiving plans and specifications 
of proposed lines of railway, at the office of the 
Board of Trade. This arose from an inadvertence 
in the standing orders, which omitted making an 
exception in case the day happened to be the Lord's- 
day. The LordVday Observance Society prepared 
petitions to Parliament, praying that in all Govern- 
ment proceedings, whenever a special day was named, 
care should be taken that the LordVday should be 
always excepted. The presentation of these peti- 
tions led to explanations on the part of the Govern- 
ment both in the House of Lords and the House of 
Commons, and to a promise that the standing orders 
should be amended in this respect. 

Memorials to the authorities, deprecating Sunday 



222 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

labour in the Post-office, continued to be forwarded 
from various important towns and other places in 
all parts of tbe kingdom. Many bankers, mer- 
chants^ and others refused, on conscientious grounds, 
to receive their letters on the Lord's- day. It was 
stated of one firm in the town of Bradford, York- 
shire, which employed 3500 persons, that they 
adopted this plan without suffering any inconveni- 
ence in consequence ; and that they never employed 
men who did not frequent some place of worship on 
the LordVday. 

Windsor Palace was closed to visitors on the 
Lord's-day by a special order of the Lord Chamber- 
lain, in consideration of the labour caused to Her 
Majesty's servants at the Castle on that day, by the 
admission of the public ; but increased facilities and 
opportunities of viewing the Palace were granted on 
ordinary days. 

The active and persevering efforts of the Rev. 
Spencer Thornton, vicar of Wendover, led to a 
great diminution in the desecration of the Lord's- 
day in that town. Some of the keepers of public- 
houses consented to close their houses altogether on 
the LordVday, except to travellers ; and others to 
close them for periods longer than the law required, 
as a step preliminary to doing so altogether. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORd's-DAY. 223 

By an order from the authorities, the Post-offices 
of all towns were permitted to be closed during the 
hours of Divine Service on Sundays ; namely, from 
11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

Sir Andrew Agnew, Bart., and other friends of 
the observance of the Lord's-day in Scotland, per- 
severed in their protests against the running of rail- 
way trains in that country on the LordVday. By 
this means they exercised a strong check on the 
increase of this evil, so that Scotland still continued 
to present a most favourable contrast to England as 
regards the running of railway trains on the Lord's- 
day. 

The shareholders of the Edinburgh and Glasgow 
Railway Company being dissatisfied with the ma- 
nagement of their affairs by the Directors, placed the 
Company under a new direction, who were favour- 
able to the observance of the LordVday, and who 
accepted office on the express condition that no pas- 
sengers should be conveyed on the line on that 
day. One of their first measures, therefore, on 
entering on their duties, was to issue a public notice 
to this effect. At a meeting of shareholders held 
subsequently to the issuing of this order, an amend- 
ment was proposed, on the motion that the Report 
be received, disapproving of that portion of it re- 



224 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

lating to the cessation of Sunday trains. The friends 
of the Lord's-day, however, succeeded in sustaining 
the new Directors in their resolution to have no 
Sunday trains : the majority against the amendment 
being 152. The number of memorials forwarded to 
the Directors in favour of the cessation of the Sun- 
day trains was 1573; whilst only 18 were presented 
against it. 

A deputation from Bath, consisting of the Right 
Hon. Lord Ashley; Mr. Melmoth Walters, Trea- 
surer of the Bath LordVday Society; and the Se- 
cretary of the London Society, waited on the Marquis 
of Clanricarde, Her Majesty's Postmaster- General, on 
the 26th Nov. 1846, in order to present a memorial 
from Bath, signed by nearly 6000 persons, praying 
that the Post-office in that town and its branches 
might be closed on the Lord's- day. 

An important meeting was held in Perth, con- 
sisting of persons of all denominations, with refer- 
ence to the opening of the Perth and Dundee 
Railway. The feeling of the meeting in favour of 
having no Sunday trains on the line was unanimous. 

A meeting called to petition Parliament to make 
the running of Sunday trains compulsory, was 
held at Glasgow, originated by those who advocated 
the running of Sunday trains in order to obtain an 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORDVDAY. 225 

expression of public opinion to that effect. There 
were about 5000 persons present : the larger pro- 
portion of the meeting were opposed to the object 
its originators had in view, but they were pre- 
vented coming to a decision by clamour on the part 
of the minority. 

At the half-yearly meeting of the Shareholders 
of the Caledonian Kailway Company, Sir Andrew 
Agnew proposed a motion that there should be a 
cessation of all traffic on the LordVday : the motion 
was lost by a majority of 3554 votes. A similar 
motion proposed by Mr. Blackadder, at a meet- 
ing of the Edinburgh and Northern Railway Com- 
pany, was also lost. At the annual general meeting 
of the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway Company, Mr. 
Graham of Edmond Castle made a similar motion 
with a like result. 

A clause of an important nature was intro- 
duced into the "Bill for consolidating the Bristol 
and Gloucester and Birmingham and Gloucester 
Railway Company with the Midland Railway Com- 
pany," which rendered it compulsory on the Directors 
to run two trains each way on the LordVday. 
The LordVday Observance Society, as soon as 
they were apprised that a bill having such an 
objectionable clause in it had become law, pe- 



226 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

titioned Parliament, praying that an Act might 
be passed,, rendering any such clause inoperative. 
At the suggestion of the Society, several petitions 
to the same effect were also presented to the House 
of Commons from various towns throughout the 
country ; but no measure such as that prayed for was 
introduced. 

The conveyance of cattle on the LordVday for 
the supply of the Smithfield market of Monday 
greatly increased on the South- Western and other 
railways, entailing much additional labour on the 
men employed on those lines on the LordVday. 
It was computed that as many as 800 passenger 
trains, exclusive of luggage trains, ran on lines in 
England on the LordVday. 

In the month of November, 1846, Mr. Hume 
proposed in the House of Commons, that the British 
Museum, National Gallery, and similar institutions, 
should be open to the public on the LordVday. 
The motion was opposed by the Government and 
was, happily, defeated. 

The LordVday Observance Society addressed a 
memorial to Lord John Eussell, First Lord of the 
Treasury, expressing their gratitude for the opposi- 
tion given to the motion by Her Majesty's Ministers, 
and representing the injurious consequences to the 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 227 

country that must have followed, had the motion 
been carried : they represented that if institutions 
which were under the control of Government were 
opened to visitors on the Lor dVday, theatres and 
other equally objectionable places of amusement 
would claim the same liberty. 

A steeple-chase was run at Paris on the LordV 
day, the principal actors in which were Englishmen, 
chiefly of the upper classes of society. 

Through the exertions of the Clergy at Doncaster, 
the betting-rooms in that town were closed on the 
LordVday on the occasion of the races being held. 
It had p reviously been the habit to open them on 
Sunday, a practice followed at Newmarket, Epsom, 
and other places where races are annually run. 

Colonel Mercer, the Colonel Commandant of the 
Koyal Marines at Plymouth, discontinued the prac_ 
tice of marching the corps to church with the 
military band; thus removing a great cause of 
annoyance and disturbance to congregations pro- 
ceeding to Divine worship. 

The feeling in favour of closing public-houses on 
the Lord's-day gained strength, from the increased 
conviction, on the part of the country, of the demo- 
ralizing effects of the sale of intoxicating liquors on 
that day. In nearly all new local acts a clause was 
Q 2 



228 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

inserted requiring them to be closed from 12 o'clock 
on Saturday night till 1 p.m. on Sunday. 

The Directors of the South-Eastern and Con- 
tinental Steam-packet Company discontinued the 
sailing of their boats on the LordVday, in conse- 
quence of a memorial addressed to the Chairman of 
the Company by Mr. Alexander Swan, the super- 
intendent of machinery, in which he represented 
the injurious effects of labour on the Lord's-day on 
the morals and efficiency of the servants of the Com- 
pany ; and stated his ponviction that the restoration 
of the religious privileges and the needful rest of the 
seventh day, w r ould supply the only remedy for 
the drunkenness and degradation which characterized 
so many of them. The adoption of Mr. Swan's 
suggestion w r as attended with the happiest effects, 
and fully realized the anticipations he had held forth 
in his memorial. 

lord Hardinge, the Governor- General of India, 
issued an order, in January, 1847, directing that all 
public w r orks carried on by order of the Government, 
whether under the direction of its own officers or 
through the agency of contractors, should be dis- 
continued on Sunday. An order to the same effect 
had been in force in the Bombay Presidency since 
the year 1843 : now, however, it was extended to 
India generally. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 229 

Mr. Grantley Berkeley, M.P., having addressed 
a letter to the Postmaster-General, demanding his 
interference to suppress the movement made in 
Bath and other places to put a stop to Postal labour 
on the LordVday, the Rev. J. Pears, of that 
city, replied in an able letter, justifying the pro- 
ceedings of the friends of the observance of the 
LordVday. The LordVday Observance Society 
forwarded a copy of this letter, and also an able 
paper on the Observance of the Sabbath institution, 
by the Rev. E. Young of Clifton, to every member 
of the Legislature. 

A day for humiliation having been appointed, 
owing to the grievous famine which prevailed in 
many parts of the kingdom, the LordVday Observ- 
ance Society issued an address to the Archbishops, 
Bishops, and Clergy of the United Church of England 
and Ireland, in which they called their atten- 
tion to the desecration of the LordVday as one 
of the great causes calculated to bring down the 
Divine displeasure on the nation. Besides for- 
warding this paper to those to whom it was more 
immediately addressed, the Society advertised it in 
the leading metropolitan and other newspapers. 

An important meeting was held in Birmingham, 
at which a paper was exhibited, signed by 1298 shop- 



280 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

keepers of that town, expressive of their wish that 
the magistrates would interfere to suppress Sunday 
trading. The various Associations for promoting the 
due Observance of the LordVday exerted themselves 
to effect this object in their various localities, as well 
as in co-operating with the Parent Society in its 
endeavours generally. 

Mr. Hindley, M.P. for Ashton-under-Lyne, at 
the urgent request of the tradesmen of the metro- 
polis, moved for, and obtained, a Committee of 
Inquiry, in the House of Commons, into Sunday 
trading in London. 

1847-8. — A meeting of the LordVday Observ- 
ance Society was held in Nottingham. One of the 
newspapers in that town, in a leading article, at- 
tacked the Society and its objects. This called forth 
a rejoinder from the Nottingham Mercury, which 
appeared to the Society such an able and useful 
paper, that, with the permission of the editor, they 
adopted it as one of their Tracts. 

The Edinburgh Young Men's Sabbath Observ- 
ance Society was instituted with a view of interesting 
the young men of Edinburgh in efforts to promote 
the observance of the Sabbath. 

Letters and statements, apparently the productions 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORDVDAY. 231 

of persons having an intimate knowledge of the 
Post-office department, appeared in some influential 
newspapers of the metropolis, to the effect that it 
was in contemplation to increase the business of the 
London Post-office, and ultimately to have a delivery 
of letters in London on the LordVday. The 
Honorary Secretary of the Lord's-day Observance 
Society addressed a letter to the Postmaster-General, 
inquiring whether the Government entertained such 
an intention ; and in case they did, requesting his 
Lordship to receive a deputation of merchants, 
bankers, and others, on the subject. His Lordship 
said, in reply, that " he was not aware of any mea- 
sure in contemplation for a general delivery of letters 
on Sundays." The suspicions of the public being 
excited still farther by the dubious nature of the 
reply, the LordVday Observance Society organized 
a public meeting of the inhabitants of London and 
Westminster, which was held in the month of No- 
vember, 1847, in Freemasons' Hall, Lord Ashley in 
the chair, to consider what course should be pur- 
sued under the circumstances. The meeting adopted 
a memorial to the First Lord of the Treasury, pray- 
ing that no mails should be transmitted, nor letters 
delivered, on the LordVday. A feeling prevailed 
in the meeting, that so long as there was a delivery 



232 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

of letters in the country on the LordVday, the 
metropolis was not secure ; and that therefore efforts 
should be made to put an end to all Sunday Postal 
labour throughout the kingdom. 

Other memorials of a similar character, addressed 
to the First Lord of Her Majesty* s Treasury, were at 
the same time adopted in various parts of the country. 
The LordVday Society organized a deputation, 
Lord Ashley at its head, to wait on Lord John 
Russell, in order to present eighty-six of these 
memorials, which had been entrusted to their care 
for that purpose. 

A letter was forwarded from Mr. Rowland Hill to 
Lord Ashley, in reference to the deputation from 
Bath which waited on the Postmaster- General, in- 
forming his Lordship that the Bath office should 
be thenceforth closed on the Lord's-day, as regarded 
the issuing and payment of money orders. 

An important meeting was held at Swansea, 
called by the mayor, in compliance with a requisi- 
tion from the inhabitants to that effect ; the object 
of which was to consider the expediency of memo- 
rializing the Pirst Lord of Her Majesty's Treasury 
in favour of the cessation of all Postal labour on the 
LordVday. Notwithstanding a strong and intel- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORDVDAY. 233 

ligent opposition, the meeting decided in favour of 
adopting the memorial. 

Meetings were held in many parts of the kingdom 
to promote the observance of the LordVday ; and 
resolutions were adopted at all of them in furtherance 
of that object. 

A bill to restrict trading on the LordVday in 
London was introduced into the House of Com- 
mons, at the instance of the tradesmen of the me- 
tropolis. It was, however, subsequently withdrawn. 
Its provisions were not of a nature to secure the 
co-operation of the friends of the observance of the 
LordVday, who did not therefore regret the fate of 
the bill. 

The operation of that clause in the Metropolitan 
Police Act which required public-houses to be closed 
from Saturday night at twelve o'clock till Sunday 
afternoon at one, continued to prove most beneficial 
in its operation. Since the passing of that Act^ 
there was a decrease of 50 per cent, in the con- 
victions for drunkenness occurring on the LordV 
day, and a decrease of 60 per cent, in the total number 
of convictions for offences committed on that day. 

A memorial, from 400 inhabitants of Walsall, com- 
prising the mayor, magistrates, clergy, ministers, 
and churchwardens of the town, was addressed to 



234 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

the Board of Directors of the South Staffordshire 
Railway, praying that no trains should run on the 
line on the LordVday. The Directors did not com- 
ply with the prayer of the memorial in its full extent, 
but they suspended all work thereon between the 
hours of a quarter-past nine in the morning and 
half-past seven in the evening. 

The Sabbath Alliance was instituted in Scotland 
at the end of the year 1847. The principles and 
objects of this society were identical with those 
of the Scottish LordVday Observance Society, 
which latter society was merged in the Sabbath 
Alliance. 

A meeting of the shareholders of the Scottish and 
Central Railway Company was held at Perth on the 
29th February, 1848, (the Marquis of Bredalbane in 
the chair,) at which it was unanimously resolved, that 
no work whatever should be done on that line on 
the LordVday. Only one petition was presented in 
favour of Sunday trains, and 165 against them. 

An unusual degree of activity pervaded the dif- 
ferent Associations throughout the kingdom, and 
efforts were made in Bath, York, Derby, Ipswich, 
Shrewsbury, and other places, to diminish local dese- 
cration of the LordVday, as well as to aid the 
Parent Society in its object. The question of Sunday 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 235 

Postal labour occupied a considerable degree of 
attention in every instance. 

1848-9.— Mr. Locke, M.P.for Honiton, obtained 
leave to introduce a bill in the House of Commons to 
render it compulsory on all railway companies to 
carry passengers on the LordVday in those trains by 
which the mails were conveyed. The LordVday 
Observance Society, and its Associations, in con- 
junction with the Sabbath Alliance in Scotland, took 
immediate and energetic means to defeat the bill. 
The LordVday Observance Society appointed a 
deputation from their Committee to wait on mem- 
bers friendly to the cause, to consult with them as 
to the steps which should be taken. They also 
addressed letters to their friends in the House, 
urging upon them to attend in their places when 
a division should take place. Copies of petitions 
against the bill were also widely circulated. They 
likewise organized a deputation, at the head of which 
was Lord Ashley, to wait on the Home Secretary, and 
on the Commissioners of Railways. The deputa- 
tion obtained an assurance that the Government, 
though deeming it desirable that some trains should 
run on the LordVday, were not prepared to support 
Mr. Locke's bill. 



236 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

On a division, leave was given to bring in the 
bill. In the interval before the day arrived for the 
second reading of the bill, the LordVday Obser- 
vance Society exerted itself strenuously to prevent 
its further progress. They addressed a circular 
letter to their Associations, and also to the Super- 
intendents of Districts of theWesleyan Connexion in 
England, urging them to influence their represen- 
tatives in Parliament to vote against a measure so 
opposed to the first principles of liberty of conscience. 
A deputation, accompanied by the Secretary of the 
LordVday Observance Society, also waited on the 
Home Secretary, Sir George Grey, and on Mr. 
Labouchere, President of the Board of Trade, with 
the same object. The Sabbath Alliance were simi- 
larly active in exertions to influence the representa- 
tives of constituencies in Scotland to oppose the 
bill. These efforts were crowned with the desired 
success ; for, on a division, the bill was lost by a 
majority of nine ; 122 having voted in its favour, and 
131 against it. 677 petitions, signed by 130,145 
persons, were presented against the measure; and 
only fifteen petitions, signed by 1376 persons, were 
presented in its favour. 

The Clergy of Brighouse and its neighbourhood 
addressed a letter to the Secretaries of the Lan- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 237 

cashire and Yorkshire Railway, complaining that 
extra trains had been run on their line on Sunday the 
13th August, 1848, between Halifax and Brighouse, 
in order to convey persons to the Feast annually 
held in Brighouse on the LordVday. The Directors, 
in reply, expressed their regret that an extra train 
should have been run, said that it had been done 
without their knowledge, and promised that arrange- 
ments should be made to prevent a recurrence of 
the grievance complained of. 

The Brighouse Sunday Feast was an annual scene 
of all kinds of vice and dissipation, to which the 
idle and ill-disposed flocked from all the neighbour- 
ing towns and villages; and the Clergy of Brighouse 
were using great exertions to put a stop to an evil 
which produced such an injurious effect on the morals 
of the parish and neighbourhood. 

A very important communication, of the date 
October 16, 1848, was addressed by Mr. Rowland 
Hill, Secretary to the Postmaster- General, to the 
Secretary of the LordVday Observance Society, by 
direction of the Postmaster- General, informing him 
that measures were in progress for discontinuing 
the issuing and paying of money-orders on the 
LordVday. The order was accordingly issued on 
the 8th December, 1848, in respect to England and 



238 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

Wales, and came into operation on the 1st January, 
1849. An order subsequently issued extended the 
arrangement to Ireland and Scotland. 

A deputation from York, consisting of the two mem- 
bers for the city, accompanied by the Secretary of the 
LordVday Observance Society, waited on the Post- 
master- General, in the month of March, 1849, to pre- 
sent and support the prayer of a memorial from the in- 
habitants of York, praying that all labour in the Post- 
office there might be suspended on the LordVday. 
The memorial was signed by the lord mayor, the city 
sheriff, six aldermen, twenty-one members of the 
city council, twenty-one clergymen and ministers, 
twenty-six solicitors and proctors, and many others, 
representing the feelings of all classes of society. 
The reply was one calculated to excite strong 
hopes in the minds of the friends of the observance 
of the LordVday. It was contained in a letter 
addressed to Mr. Smyth, one of the members for 
York, and stated, " that as a general measure for the 
suspension of duty in country post-offices on the Sun- 
day was under the consideration of the Lords of the 
Treasury, the consideration of the individual case 
would be deferred." These hopes were, however, 
considerably weakened by an intimation from the 
Postmaster-General, made to the Secretary of the 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LGRd's-DAY. 239 

LordVday Observance Society, in the conversation 
that took place, to the effect that the plan which the 
Government had in view would cause an increase of 
business in London on Sundays, whilst diminish- 
ing it in the country generally. The deputation 
took occasion to state to his Lordship, that if he 
alluded to the transmission of country letters through 
London, or a delivery of letters in London on the 
LordVday, they had no doubt the friends of the 
observance of the LordVdsy would regard such 
an arrangement with the utmost repugnance, 
and would give it all the opposition in their 
power. 

A memorial likewise proceeded from Ipswich to 
the Postmaster-General, praying that the Post-office 
in that town might be closed altogether on Sundays. 
It was signed by upwards of 3000 persons. The 
prayer was only partially granted, the office being 
allowed to be closed from ten a.m. to six p.m. An 
important memorial to the same effect was also for- 
warded from Manchester, signed by 11,000 persons. 
Several small country posts, in connection with larger 
towns, were at the same time discontinued on the 
LordVday, in compliance with the wish of the 
inhabitants, but with the intimation from the Post- 
master-General, that if any remonstrances were 



240 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

made, the former arrangement should be at once 
resumed. 

A numerous deputation of the Committee of the 
LordVday Observance Society subsequently waited 
on Mr. Rowland Hill, in order to urge upon him the 
adoption of an arrangement whereby all Postal labour 
should cease throughout the United Kingdom on 
the LordVday. In the conversation which ensued, 
Mr. Hill, whilst representing the difficulties attend- 
ing carrying such an arrangement into effect, admit- 
ted its practicability. 

The permission of closing the Post-offices from 
ten a.m. to six p.m., began to be generally conceded 
to all places from which memorials proceeded. 

Mr. Hindley introduced a bill in the House of 
Commons, in the session of 1849, to restrict trading 
in the metropolis, which was subsequently with- 
drawn. 

An important Act was passed by Parliament, intro- 
duced by Lord Harrowby, which provided that no 
intoxicating drinks should be sold in Great Britain 
before one o' clock in the afternoon of any Sunday, 
and in England before the same hour of any Good 
Friday or Christmas Day, or before the termination 
of the Morning Service. 

Mr. John Henderson, of Park, near Glasgow, 
having offered three prizes for the three best essays 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD J SDAY. 241 

on " the temporal advantages of the Sabbath to the 
labouring classes/' to be competed for by working 
men, fixed March 31, 1848, for receiving essays. 
1050 essays were received. Lord Ashley having 
called the attention of Her Majesty and Prince Al- 
bert to the subject, they were pleased to patronize it. 
A large meeting assembled in Exeter Hall to wit- 
ness the bestowal of the prizes on the successful 
candidates, by Lord Ashley. The idea of Mr. Hen- 
derson proved a most effectual means of exciting an 
interest on the subject of the Lord's- day amongst 
the working classes, and of eliciting their feelings in 
reference to it. 

One essay was not received, being the production 
of a female ; but being subsequently published, it 
had a deservedly rapid and extensive circulation. It 
was entitled " The Pearl of Days/' and evinced much 
ability and feeling. 

A Society was instituted in Newcastle-upon-Tvne, 
embracing persons of all denominations, entitled 
« The North of England Sabbath Alliance." Its 
fundamental principle w T as, the Divine authority 
and perpetual obligation of the Sabbath institution. 

A series of Tracts on the Observance of the Lord's- 
day, by ministers of all denominations, was pub- 
lished, and had an extensive circulation : they proved 



242 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

very useful in diffusing amongst all classes sound and 
Scriptural views on the subject. 

The advocates of railway travelling on the LordV 
day succeeded in carrying a motion at a general 
meeting of the shareholders of the Scottish Central 
Railway Company, that trains should be run on that 
line on the Lord's-day. 

The cause of the observance of the Lord's- 
day sustained a serious loss in the death of Sir 
Andrew Agnew, Bart., which took place in April, 
1849, whose name both in and out of Parlia- 
ment had been so prominently and honourably 
identified with this question. He had for some years 
devoted himself to its advocacy, and was permitted 
to see much fruit of his labours, in an improved 
tone of feeling regarding the observance of the 
Lord V day in all classes and ranks of society, and 
in the check given to the profanation of it. Besides 
these admitted results of his indefatigable exertions, 
we are justified in supposing that the interests of 
religion generally, identified as they are with the 
observance of the LordVday, were greatly promoted 
in consequence of the agitation of the subject both 
in Parliament and the country. 

1849-50.— In September 1849, during the recess, 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 243 

an order was unexpectedly issued in the London 
Post-office, requiring that country letters should be 
transmitted through London on the Lord's-day after 
the 10th of October in that year ; thus introducing 
into the Metropolitan department at the Post-office 
a new character of labour on the LordVday; that 
which had been previously carried on therein on that 
day having been defended on the ground of being 
occasioned by the necessities of the department. 

Numerously attended meetings were held, within 
three weeks after this order was made known, through 
the arrangements cf the LordVday Observance So- 
ciety, in the City, in the Borough, in Westminster, 
and also in various parishes in the neighbourhood of 
the metropolis, praying that the order might not be 
carried into effect. On the 13th of October a most 
influential deputation waited on Lord John Russell, 
in order to present the memorials. There were 
present, composing the deputation, the Lord Mayor 
of London (Sir James Duke, M.P.), Mr. Masterman, 
M.P., and several of the principal bankers, mer- 
chants, and clergy of the metropolis. The order 
was nevertheless carried into effect, after a suspension 
of a fortnight. This occasion afforded an oppor- 
tunity of illustrating the importance of the work 
in which the LordVday Observance Society were 
r 2 



244 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

engaged. They had secured correspondents and 
formed associations in all parts of the kingdom, on 
whose assistance in this crisis they were able to 
reckon. 

Papers containing Forms of Petition, and convey- 
ing such information as was deemed useful under 
the circumstances, were forwarded by the LordV 
day Observance Society to every incumbent or offi- 
ciating minister in England : they likewise addressed 
special letters to the bishops and clergy, and the 
laity, in all parts of the kingdom, particularly in the 
larger and more important towns ; affording them all 
facilities for petitioning, by offering them for that 
purpose forms written and ready for signature ; and 
they strongly impressed upon them the importance of 
requesting the local representatives to present the 
petitions, and to support their prayer when the sub- 
ject should come under the consideration of Parlia- 
ment. They also endeavoured to constitute each 
correspondent a centre for originating petitions, by 
offering, through them, the same facilities to their 
friends throughout the country. 

The Rev. R. Newstead, Yi esleyan minister, a con- 
sistent and zealous friend of the observance of the 
LordVday, having communicated to the President 
of the Wesleyan Methodists that the LordVday 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 245 

Society were extremely desirous that influential body 
should co-operate in the movement, the Presi- 
dent promptly addressed a circular letter to the 
ministers of that communion, requesting them to 
aid the Society by promoting petitions. The Society 
forwarded the letter, with papers containing in- 
structions how to proceed, and information on the 
subject, to all the superintending ministers in Eng- 
land, Wales, and Ireland ; also offering them written 
forms of petition ready for signature. 

The effect of these efforts was, that the Society 
became engaged in a most extensive correspondence 
with persons of all religious denominations in the 
kingdom ; that almost all the great towns in Eng- 
land, and many in Ireland, besides many of the 
smaller places, sent in petitions to the House of 
Commons in favour of the object; and that the 
Wesleyan Methodists forwarded a great number of 
petitions from their several congregations. 

The Scottish Sabbath Alliance also exerted 
itself most energetically to promote the move- 
ment in favour of the entire cessation of Postal 
labour on the Lord's-day in Scotland. By the 
number of petitions and signatures, by deputations 
to the authorities, and by the publication of useful 
and appropriate papers on the subject, they contri- 
buted in no small degree to its success. 



246 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

A feeling of strong interest on the subject of 
the observance of the Lord's-day was exhibited in 
Ireland, elicited by the movements in favour of the 
cessation of all Postal labour on that day. Petitions 
in favour of this object, in many instances nume- 
rously and respectably signed, proceeded from the 
principal towns in Ireland, including Dublin, 
Cork, Belfast, Wat erf or d, Drogheda, Newry, and 
other places ; and important aid and co-operation 
were received from the clergy of the Established 
Church, and the ministers of the Moravian, Presby- 
terian, and other denominations in that country. 

On the opening of Parliament, in January 1850, 
petitions, many of them adopted at public meetings, 
began to be laid in great numbers on the table of 
the House of Commons, praying for the entire ces- 
sation of all Postal labour, the transmission of the 
mails, as well as the delivery of letters, throughout 
the United Kingdom, during the four-and-twenty 
hours of the LordVday : and petitions to this effect 
continued to be presented during the session. 

xl committee, entitled " The Metropolitan Com- 
mittee for effecting the Cessation of Sunday Postal 
Labour/' was formed in London : they originated 
an important Declaration, approving of the entire 
cessation of Postal labour on the Lord's-day, which 
was numerously signed by many dignitaries and 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORIES-DAY. 247 

clergy of the Established Church, and by ministers 
of the several religious denominations, — by bankers, 
merchants, solicitors, and traders, &c, in the metro- 
polis, and advertised it in the leading newspapers. 

The expression of feeling in favour of the cessation 
of Postal labour on the LordVday was unprece- 
dentedly great ; this feeling was not the ebul- 
lition of sectarian zeal or political excitement, but 
the settled and conscientious conviction of the public 
generally, including persons of all religious deno- 
minations and political opinions ; the depth and pre- 
valence of which were attested by the fact, that 4414 
petitions, with 653,206 signatures, were presented 
to the House of Commons in its favour ; whilst only 
19 petitions, with 2545 signatures, indicated the 
mere fraction of a minority which was opposed to 
the object. 

At length, on Thursday, the 30th May, 1850, 
Lord Ashley moved in the House of Commons 
— " That an humble Address be presented to 
Her Majesty, representing the great desire which 
exists in all parts of the United Kingdom for an 
extension of that rest on the Lord's-day which is 
afforded in the London Post-office, to the provincial 
towns ; and praying that Her Majesty will be gra- 
ciously pleased to direct that the collection and 



248 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

delivery of letters stall in future entirely cease on 
Sundays in all parts of the kingdom : and also that 
Her Majesty will cause an inquiry to be made as to 
how far, without injury to the public service, the 
transmission of the mails on the Lord's-day might 
be diminished or entirely suspended." On a divi- 
sion taking place, the motion was carried by a 
majority of 25, there being 93 in its favour, and 68 
against. On the 11th June, Her Majesty was pleased 
to return for answer to the Address, that orders 
should be given accordingly. The collection and 
delivery of letters and newspapers was in conse- 
quence suspended throughout the United Kingdom 
on Sunday 23rd of June, 1850; but as no corre- 
sponding arrangements were made in the Post-office 
department, much inconvenience was at first caused, 
till the public accommodated themselves to the 
change : then its beneficial effects were generally 
felt and acknowledged. 

In Manchester and Liverpool, and in other places, 
the clerks and letter-carriers returned public thanks 
for the boon thus conferred upon them. 

A bill to restrict Sunday trading in the metro- 
polis, introduced by Lord Harrowby, passed a third 
reading in the House of Lords, and was read a first 
time in the House of Commons, when it was ulti- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORd's-DAY. 249 

mately withdrawn; a result which was not much 
regretted by the friends of the observance of the 
Lord's-day, as some of its clauses were very objec- 
tionable. 

A porter in the employ of the Great Western 
Railway Company was summoned, under the Act of 
29 Charles II., and convicted, on the 12th August, 
1849, before the Justices of the city of Bath, of 
exercising his ordinary worldly calling, by removing 
goods (not being passengers' luggage) on the LordV 
day. The Bench having declined to enforce pay- 
ment of the penalty, application was made to the 
Queen's Bench, and a mandamus obtained to com- 
pel the Magistrates to carry out their decision : the 
penalty was paid by the Company. 

Associations for promoting the due Observance of 
the LordVday, composed exclusively of working 
men, were formed in Birmingham, Leeds, Lan- 
caster, and Shrewsbury, which actively co-operated 
in all efforts made to forward the object. Two 
petitions in favour of the Post-office movement, 
numerously signed by working men, were for- 
warded to the House of Commons from the towns 
of Birmingham and Leeds. 

1850-1. — But a very short interval elapsed, after 



250 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

the order prohibiting the delivery of letters on the 
LordVday had been carried into effect, before it 
was found necessary to make renewed efforts to 
secure its continuance; for, on the 25th June 1850, 
only two days after it came into operation, Mr. 
Locke, M.P. for Honiton, gave notice of a motion 
for rescinding it. 

The Lord ; s-day Observance Society again called 
on their friends throughout the country to petition 
the House of Commons, praying that the measure 
might have a full and fair trial. The consequence 
was, that in the short time included between the 
25th June and the 9th July, the day on which Mr. 
Locke's motion came on, 521 petitions, with 33,190 
signatures, were presented, praying that the measure 
might not be rescinded till it had been fairly tested ; 
whilst only 168 petitions, with 19,199 signatures, 
were presented in favour of rescinding it ; notwith- 
standing organized efforts to promote petitions of 
this character, originated almost exclusively by 
persons connected with a hostile and interested por- 
tion of the public press. Memorials to Her Majesty, 
and petitions to the House of Commons, included 
amongst those alluded to above, also proceeded from 
Postmasters and Letter-carriers in all parts of the 
kingdom, expressing their gratitude for the new 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 251 

measure, and praying that it might have a full and 
fair trial. 

A numerous and most respectable deputation from 
many important towns in Scotland, composed prin- 
cipally of chief magistrates, and one from Liver- 
pool, headed by the mayor of that town, and ac- 
companied by the secretaries of the London and 
Bath Societies for promoting the Observance of the 
Lord's-day, waited on Lord John Russell, the Post- 
master-General, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, 
and the Secretary of State for the Home Depart- 
ment, respectively, to urge them to oppose Mr. 
Locke's motion, and to give the measure a fair trial. 

Mr. Locke having brought on his motion on the 
9th July, it was rejected by a majority of 141 ; but, 
at the suggestion of Government, a " Commission, 
to inquire how far Postal labour on Sundays might 
be reduced, without discontinuing the delivery and 
despatch of letters/'' was appointed, an amendment 
to that effect having been moved by Mr. Hope. 

That Commission issued its Report, dated the 
10th August, 1850, recommending a return to the 
old system of a delivery of letters on the LordVday, 
with a few trifling and most inadequate modifica- 
tions. 

The 650,000 petitioners, who prayed for the dis- 



252 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

continuance of Postal labour on the LordVday, 
had reason to be dissatisfied with the appointment 
of the Commission of Inquiry. The only just mode of 
testing the new measure was, by working it for some 
time with altered arrangements. 

They were also dissatisfied with the constitution 
of the Commission. It w r as composed of three 
members — one the Postmaster-General, who in his 
place in Parliament expressed himself hostile to the 
change ; and of two other members of Government, 
both of whom voted in the minority on Lord 
Ashley's motion of the 3rd June, 1850. 

Not only was the constitution of the Commission 
objectionable, but also the principal sources whence 
they derived their information, — namely, the Sur- 
veyors of Districts, and Postmasters, to whom a cir- 
cular had but recently been issued, preparing the 
department for a reduction of pay in case there 
were a cessation of labour on the Lord's- day. 

Memorials were presented to Lord John Russell, 
praying his Lordship, on receiving the Report of the 
Committee of Inquiry, to decide on continuing the 
new measure. These memorials amounted to some 
hundreds ; — amongst which was one signed by all the 
ministers present at the Wesleyan Conference, held 
in London, 520 in number ; 50 from working-men in 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 253 

various manufactories in Leeds; 27 of a similar 
description from Birmingham; andone fromBrighton, 
signed by 2500 working persons. 

Deputations from all parts of the kingdom pro- 
posed to wait on Lord John Russell, including depu- 
tations of working men, with the same view; but his 
Lordship declined receiving them. The Government 
acted on the recommendation of the Commission, 
and the delivery of letters was resumed on Sunday 
the 1st September, 1850. 

Although the efforts made to effect the cessation 
of Postal labour on the LordVday were thus frus- 
trated, yet they were not wholly ineffectual. A con- 
siderable diminution of Postal labour on that day 
took place in consequence, and the discussion of the 
subject proved beneficial. 

The extent to which excursion trains were run on 
the Lord's-day, at greatly reduced fares, on nearly 
all the lines in the kingdom, was truly lamentable. 
The Great Western Railway Company took the lead 
in this systematic and extensive desecration of the 
LordVday. Memorials, expressing disapproval of 
their excursion trains on the LordVday, and re- 
questing that they might be discontinued, were 
presented to the Directors, from Bath, Bristol, 
Gloucester, Stroud, and other places on the line ; 
also from Chepstow, Cardiff, Newport, and Carmar- 



254 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

then, on the South Wales line. The memorial from 
Stroud was signed by upwards of 2000 inhabitants 
of that town and neighbourhood, including 27 
clergymen and 13 dissenting ministers. One, signed 
by 16 shareholders, was also forwarded from that 
place to the Directors of the Great Western Railway. 

A very able paper on the subject of Cheap Excur- 
sion Trains on the Lord's- day was published by the 
Rev. E. Young, honorary secretary to the Bristol 
Church of England LordVday Observance Society, 
containing a Letter to the Directors of the Great 
Western Railway, and also a correspondence on the 
subject, between Mr. Young and an anonymous 
writer, which was inserted in the Bristol Gazette. 

At a general meeting of the Scottish Central 
Railway Company, it was resolved, without a division, 
that there should be no systematic Sabbath traffic on 
the line; and the chairman stated that nineteen- 
twentieths of the proxies in the hands of the secre- 
tary were in favour of the line being so closed. It 
was understood that cases of necessity, as they 
occurred, would be forwarded by the mail train. 

In Kingston, Canada West, a Sabbath Reforma- 
tion Society was formed, on the 25th of April, 1850. 
Its object was to employ every legitimate moral in- 
strumentality to secure the better observance of the 
Lord's- day. Soon after its formation, the Society 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORDVDAY. 255 

endeavoured to arouse the inhabitants of the pro- 
vince to pray the Legislature to cause the cessation 
of Post-office labour on the LordVday ; but the 
petitions in consequence presented proved ineffectual 
in prevailing on the Legislature to do so. 

A bill to restrict trading in the metropolis on the 
LordVday was introduced in the House of Com- 
mons, read a second time, referred to a Select 
Committee, and subsequently withdrawn. The pro- 
visions of the bill were of such a character as to 
render it desirable that the measure should not 
become law. 

Considerable interest was exhibited in the condi- 
tion of the Omnibus Servants of London, as regarded 
their exclusion from the religious and other pri- 
vileges of the LordVday. They formed a Society 
called u The Metropolitan Omnibus Servants' Pro- 
vident Society/' which, besides making a provision 
for the widows and orphans of deceased members, 
contemplated likewise the moral improvement of 
the class generally. Meetings of this Society were 
held in various parts of London, in w T hich the neg- 
lected condition of Omnibus Servants, the utter 
absence of all religious means, and their prolonged 
hours of labour every day in the week, Sunday in- 
cluded, were brought prominently under attention. 
The LordVday Observance Society forwarded a copy 



256 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

of an address, on behalf of the Omnibus Servants 
in the metropolis, to ministers of religion of all deno- 
minations, urging upon them to adopt means to 
restore to them the privileges of the LordVday, of 
which they were wholly deprived. 

The Crystal Palace, for the exhibition of works of 
all nations, was opened by Her Majesty in person 
in May, 1851, with solemn prayer to Almighty God 
by His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury. Dur- 
ing the erection of the edifice no work whatever was 
allowed to be done on the LordVday, although 
very great exertion was required on the part of the 
contractors to have the building ready at the time 
fixed for its completion. 

The same regard for the LordVday was evinced 
by the Government during the Exhibition, visitors 
being altogether excluded on the .LordVday. 

The Lord Mayor of London, Sir J. Musgrove, 
visited Paris in his official capacity : he went to 
Versailles on the LordVday, where a large concourse 
was assembled to witness the amusements prepared 
for the occasion. On the termination of his year of 
office, when the usual vote of thanks was proposed 
at the meeting of the Common Council, held 20th 
November, 1851, Mr. De Jersey moved that an 
expression of regret for his Lordship's conduct on 
that occasion should be introduced into the motion. 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORIES-DAY. 257 

No one seconding Mr. De Jersey's amendment, it 
was lost. 

The Lord's-day Observance Society addressed a 
letter, in April, 1852, to the Clergy residing in the 
neighbourhood of railways on which excursion trains 
were run on the Lord's- day, urging them to originate 
memorials to the Directors against the practice, and, 
where it was convenient to do so, that the memorials 
should be adopted at public meetings. 

On the return of the Sunday on which the annual 
feast was usually held at Brighouse, the quiet and 
orderly aspect of the streets, and the absence of 
tumult, presented a striking contrast to the state 
of things in preceding years. This was attributable 
to the persevering exertions of the Kev. J. Birch, 
incumbent of Brighouse Church, to put a stop to 
this evil. 

A Society to promote the due Observance of the 
LordVday was formed in Montreal, Canada. 

An effort to put a stop to Sunday Postal labour 
was made in Nova Scotia, and happily with success ; 
the Lieutenant Governor having had a clause to that 
effect introduced into the bill relating to Postal 
arrangements. 



258 STATISTICS AND TACTS 



OBSERVANCE OF THE LORDS-DAY IN 
FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 

The state of religion in any community, as it 
approximates to Scriptural purity or otherwise, regu- 
lates the degree of regard evinced for the observance 
of the Lord V day. Thus, in Roman Catholic coun- 
tries the sacredness of the day is limited to those 
hours appropriated to public worship; usually 
persons having attended one service, consider 
themselves at liberty to devote the remainder of 
the day to pleasure or to business. In Protestant 
communities, where the fundamental principles of 
the Gospel are neglected or lost sight of, it is prac- 
tically the same. Such may be said to be the state 
of things on the continent of Europe generally, and 
in the South American States, as regards the Lord's- 
day. 

In France, when the revolutionary frenzy was at 
its height, and all the moral bonds of society were 
dissolved, the observance of the seventh-day rest 
was prohibited, and a tenth- day rest was substituted 
for it. As soon as Napoleon, with the strong hand 
of military rule, enforced order, he restored the Sab- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORd's-DAY. 259 

bath, conscious that it was an institution the acknow- 
ledgment and observance of which promoted obe- 
dience to constituted authority. 

In later years, during the reign of Louis Philippe, 
and in the presidency of Louis Napoleon, a disposi- 
tion has been evinced by the French Government to 
promote the observance of the LordVday as regards 
cessation from labour in the great public depart- 
ments; orders to that effect having occasionally 
emanated from the authorities. 

In Switzerland efforts have been made during 
some years to promote the observance of the LordV 
day ; and a friendly correspondence has subsisted 
between societies formed in some of the cantons, and 
the LordVday Observance Society. 

In Germany, greater respect is paid to the LordV 
day in the Protestant than in the Roman Catholic 
states ;* though in both, desecration of the day pre- 
vails. Still the profanation of it is worst in those 
parts of Germany in which Popery is predominant, 
as in the territories of Mayence, Treves, and Cologne. 
Within the last few years, increased interest has 

* Evangelical Christendom, (Vol. v. No, 10, for October, 1851, 
page 369.) Partridge and Oakey, Paternoster-row. A periodical 
containing much useful and interesting information respect- 
ing the state of religion generally on the continent of Europe. 

s2 



260 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

been evinced on the subject in Germany. At a con- 
ference held at Stuttgard, in September, 1850, at 
which 2000 persons, ministers of religion and lay- 
men, were present, it was resolved that an address 
should be published, to remind the German nation 
of the importance of the observance of the Chris- 
tian Sabbath. The Conference also sent a letter 
to all the German Governments, urging them to dis- 
charge their duties as Christian States in protecting 
the sanctity of the Lord's-day. In the address to 
the German nation, the example of England is spe- 
cially mentioned; and its power, wealth, liberty, 
and pre-eminence are attributed to the observance 
of the Lord's-day. Another conference, of about 
100 clergymen and laymen, held at Barmen, near 
Elberfield, resolved to send a petition to the Prussian 
Government on the same subject. They prayed 
the authorities that no military review might be 
held on the LordVday, and that the servants of the 
Post-office and railways might not be occupied 
during the whole of that day. Similar petitions 
were addressed to the Prussian Government by the 
Society for promoting the Observance of the Lord's- 
day established in the Prussian province of Saxony, 
and by conferences of clergymen and laymen in the 
province of Brandenburgh. In the month of Pebru- 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 261 

ary, 1851, the Prussian General Post-office ordered 
that all post-offices in Prussia should be closed on 
the Lord's-day from 9 a.m. to 12, and from 1 to 
5 p.m. The Government also expressed its desire 
to stop the running of railway trains on that day. 
The Prussian Ministry for Commerce published a 
decree, dated the 27th May, 1851, in which they 
said, " the attainment of the object referred to (the 
observance of the LordVday) is not to be expected 
by means of orders of Government, but only by the 
instrumentality of the Church, the school, and good 
example ; because by these only can the interior 
feeling of men be improved: but Government is 
willing to promote the observance of the Lord's-day 
by taking away external hindrances and impedi- 
ments."" 

In Saxony also, the Government adopted measures 
to promote the observance of the Lord's-day. They 
were much needed ; for in Leipsic working and ham- 
mering on Sundays were quite common in the public 
squares ; and the police sold for sixpence tickets 
licensing to work in public on the Lord's-day. In 
Dresden gin-shops were open in the morning of Sun- 
day during Divine service, public dancing and music 
were permitted, and a theatre was open. The 
Chamber of Deputies of Saxony having had their 



262 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

attention called to the desecration of the LordV 
day which prevailed, resolved unanimously, "that 
the strict enforcement of the law of 1811 with 
respect to the observance of the LordVday, should 
be recommended to the Government," which accor- 
dingly expressed its willingness, through the Mi- 
nister, in the First Chamber, to publish an ordinance 
to promote the observance of the LordVday. 

The Government of the Duchy of Brunswick, in 
an ordinance dated the 31st of December, 1850, 
commanded that all civil officers should promote 
diligently the observance of a new law which had 
been passed respecting the LordVday. 

In the kingdom of Hanover, also, the Government 
issued orders for a better observance of the LordV 
day. 

In the kingdom of Bavaria, the Bomish bishop 
pressed upon the Government the duty of protecting 
the sanctity of the LordVday. The Government, 
in consequence, republished all the laws respecting 
the Lord's-day which had fallen into disuse, and for- 
warded copies of them, with a view to their enforce- 
ment, to all the civic boards and parishes. 

In the Grand Duchy of Hesse, the Ecclesiastical 
Board, in a rescript of the Consistory of 1843, shewed 
how low an estimate they formed of the institution 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 263 

of the Christian Sabbath, by recommending that, "as 
often as the weather or other circumstances made 
it necessary to continue agricultural labour on Sun- 
days, after the morning service, the burgomaster 
might give permission for it." In the Second 
Chamber of the Grand Duchy, the deputy Ploch 
having proposed a motion to the effect, "that all 
public dancing parties, and all worldly amusements 
in public places, should be forbidden by law on Sun- 
days/' the motion was rejected by 42 votes against 
2. A motion of Sartorius, another deputy, "that a 
stricter law to protect the LordVday be passed, that 
the theatres be shut on Sunday, and all public dan- 
cing parties be restricted thereon," was also rejected. 
The Chamber only resolved, "that public dancing 
parties and music be closed on Saturday at midnight, 
and begin on Sunday only after the service." 

Fifty-two great proprietors and noblemen of the 
provinces of Saxony, Brandenburgh, and Pomeraine, 
in the year 1849, published an address to noble- 
men and great farmers, recommending the obser- 
vance of the LordVday. 

C. F. Schultze, of Calbe, on the river Saale, a 
sugar manufacturer, addressed, in October, 1850, 
" a Letter to the Manufacturers," in the name of 
the Society for promoting the Observance of the 



264 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

LordVday in the province of Saxony, urging upon 
them to restore to the operatives the privileges of 
the LordVday. In consequence of this address, a 
great number of sugar manufacturers ceased to work 
on the LordVday. 

In Rhenish Prussia, the Synods of Elberfeld 
and Lenep issued and circulated numerous copies of 
addresses exhorting to a due observance of the 
LordVday. At Dusseldorf, on the Rhine, some 
merchants announced in the newspapers their inten- 
tion to close their shops during the whole of the 
LordVday, 

In Berlin, a public fair was prevented by the 
authorities on Sunday, May 11th, 1851 ; and all 
public fairs were forbidden to be held on the LordV 
day. The inconsistency of the Government, in per- 
mitting theatres to be open on the LordVday, and 
in sanctioning other profanations of it, takes greatly 
from the moral weight and effect their measures 
might otherwise have. 

The condition of the United States of America as 
regards the observance of the LordVday, cannot 
be better described than by the following extract 
from " The Progress and Prospects of Chris- 
tianity in the United States of America, by It. 
Baird, D.D.":— 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 265 

" On this subject we have much to cheer. Although 
there is still enough to deplore, we have much to be 
grateful for. There is a far better observance of the 
Sabbath than there was a few years ago in many parts of 
the country. Whilst there is still too much violation 
of the sacred day in the suburbs and neighbourhood of 
our large cities, it is pleasant to see that the streets of 
none of them (so far as I know, unless it be New Or- 
leans,) are disturbed by the rumbling of omnibuses.* All 
of the States, I believe, have made laws to enforce the 
observance of the Sabbath. This has been done on the 
avowed principle that we are a Christian nation. That 
doctrine we hold. And though the State requires of no 
man that he attend this or that Church, or any Church 
at all, or do anything to support any form of worship, 
yet it does require him to desist from labour, at least 
from such labour as interferes with the sacred employ- 
ments and enjoyments of others. It seems so near to a 
dictate of natural religion and of common reason, as well 
as Christianity, that man and beast should rest part of 
their time, that our lawgivers do not seem to have had 
any misgivings on the subject ; and yet the enforcement 
of the law is seldom resorted to. A better way is pur- 
sued, — that of enlightening the people, by the press and 
the pulpit, as to their duties and their privileges. A few 
gentlemen have employed the Rev. Dr. Edwards, the 

* Through one of the main streets of New York, the passen- 
ger trains on a railroad, drawn by horses, are permitted to run on 
the Sabbath. Even this, though there is but little noise, is 
considered a nuisance, as well as a violation of the sacred day. 



266 STATISTICS AND FACTS, ETC. 

originator of temperance societies on the present plan, 
for several years to visit the chief places, and preach 
before legislatures and Congress,, and so influence the 
leading minds of the country, as well as to employ the 
press, for that object. The success of this- quiet and 
effective course has been great. There is not a car 
running on any of the railroads in New England, I be- 
lieve, on the Sabbath, nor is the mail carried there on 
that day. A similar change is going on in the middle 
and other States. The carrying of the mail on the Sab- 
bath was discontinued on 8000 miles of road last year, 
through these quiet efforts. Dr. Edwards visits the officers 
of the Government, legislators, and directors of railroads, 
and sits down and talks the matter over kindly with them, 
as a Christian man and a gentleman should ; nor does 
he labour in vain ; for he has to deal with men who, 
almost without exception, respect religion, and not a few 
are religious men." (pp. 28, 29.) 

Another extract from Dr. Baird's work (p. 33), 
article " Slavery/' in which he enumerates numer- 
ous benefits conferred by Christianity upon slaves, 
and amongst others states the following : — 

" It has secured the enforcement of the laws relating 
to the Sabbath, and so given the slave a seventh part of 
his time as a day of rest. It is certainly a rare thing for 
a slave to be compelled to work on the Lord's- day, espe- 
cially in those portions of the South where Christianity 
is most prevalent." 



SUMMARY OF THE STATUTES FOR THE 
OBSERVANCE OF THE LOKD'S-DAY. 



The following is a summary of the Statutes for 
promoting the observance of the LorclVday : — 

By 28 Edw. 3, c. 14, the showing of wool is prohibited 
on Sunday. 

By 27 Hen. 6, e. 5, all manner of fairs and markets 
on the principal Feasts and Sundays, and Good Fridays, 
are prohibited (necessary victual only excepted) upon 
pain of forfeiture of the goods (the four Sundays in har- 
vest except). 

By 1 Eliz. c. 2, intituled " An Act for the Uniformity 
of Common Prayer and Service in the Church and Ad- 
ministration of the Sacraments," sec. 14, all persons, 
having no lawful or reasonable excuse, shall diligently 
and faithfully resort to their parish church or chapel 
accustomed upon every Sunday and holy days, upon pain 
of punishment by the censures of the Church, and of 12d. 
for every offence. 

By 23 Eliz. c. 1, intituled " An Act to retain the 
Queen's Majesty's Subjects in their due Obedience," 
sec. 5,* every person above the age of 16, who shall not 
repair to some church, chapel, or usual place of common 

* This section has been recently repealed. 



268 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

prayer, but forbear the same contrary to the last- 
mentioned statute, shall forfeit for every month which 
he or she shall so forbear S'20 ; and besides the said 
forfeitures, every person so forbearing for 12 months, 
shall be bound with two sufficient sureties in ^6200 to 
good behaviour, and so to continue bound, until they do 
conform and come to the church, according to the true 
meaning of the above statute of the 1st of Her Majesty's 
reign. 

By 1 James 1, c. 22, sec. 28, no shoes, boots, &c. are 
to be shown to the intent to put to sale, on pain of for- 
feiture for every pair of 3s. 4d., and the full value of the 
articles. 

By 1 Ch. 1, c. I, intituled "An Act for punishing 
divers Abuses committed on the Lord's-day, commonly 
called Sunday," there shall be no meetings, assemblies, 
or concourse of people out of their own parishes on the 
Lord's-day, for any sports and pastimes whatsoever ; nor 
any bear-baiting, bull-baiting, interludes, common plays, 
or other unlawful exercises and pastimes used by any 
persons within their own parishes, under a penalty of 
3s. 4d. for every offence. 

By 3 Ch. 1, c. 2, intituled " An Act for the further 
Reformation of sundry Abuses committed on the Lord's- 
day, commonly called Sunday," no carrier w T ith any 
horse, nor waggonmen with any waggon, nor carmen with 
any cart, nor wainmen with any wain, nor drovers with 
any cattle, shall travel upon the Sunday, under a penalty 
of 20s. for every offence ; or if any butcher shall kill or 
sell any victual, he shall forfeit 6s. 8d. for every offence. 

By 29 Ch. 2, c. 7, intituled " An Act for the better 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD'S-DAY. 269 

Observation of the Lord's-day, commonly called Sunday," 
sec. 1, all the laws in force concerning the observation of 
the Lord's-day, and repairing to the church thereon, 
shall be carefully put in execution ; and all persons shall, 
on every Lord's-day, apply themselves to the observation 
of the same, by exercising themselves thereon in the 
duties of piety and true religion, publicly and privately ; 
and no tradesman, artificer, workman, labourer, or other 
person whatsoever, shall do or exercise any worldly 
labour, business or work of their ordinary callings upon 
the Lord's-day, or any part thereof (works of necessity 
and charity only excepted) ; and every person of the age 
of 14 years or upwards offending in the premises, shall 
for every such offence forfeit the sum of 5s. And that 
no person or persons whatsoever shall publicly cry, show 
forth, or expose to sale any wares, merchandises, fruits, 
herbs, goods or chattels whatsoever upon the Lord's-day, 
or any part thereof, upon pain of forfeiting the same. 
And by the second section of the same Act, no drover, 
horse-courser, waggoner, butcher, higgler, or any of their 
servants, shall travel or come to their inn or lodging 
upon the Lord's-day, under the penalty of 20s. for every 
offence ; and that no person shall use, employ, or travel 
upon the Lord's-day with any boat, wherry, lighter, or 
barge, except it be upon extraordinary occasion, to be 
allowed by some justice of the peace or head officer, 
under the forfeiture of 5s. And the justice shall give 
warrant to the constables or churchwardens of the parish 
to seize the goods cried, showed forth, or put to sale, and 
to sell the same. The third section provides that nothing 



270 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

in the Act shall extend to the prohibiting of dressing of 
meat in families, or dressing or selling of meat in inns, 
cook-shops, or victualling houses, for such as otherwise 
cannot be provided, nor to the crying or selling of milk 
before nine of the clock in the morning, or after four of 
the clock in the afternoon. And by the fifth section it 
is enacted, that if any person who shall travel on the 
Lord's-day shall be then robbed, no hundred, or the in- 
habitants thereof, shall be charged with or answerable for 
any robbery so committed, but the person robbed shall 
be barred from bringing any action for the said robbery ; 
nevertheless the inhabitants (after notice or hue and cry) 
shall cry and make or cause to be made fresh suit after 
the offenders, according to the statute 27 Eliz., upon pain 
of forfeiting as much money as might have been recovered 
against the hundred. And by the sixth section, no per- 
son shall, upon the Lord's-day, serve or execute any 
writ, process, &c, except in cases of treason, felony, or 
breach of the peace, but the service thereof shall be 
void ; and persons so serving shall be as liable to the suit 
of the party grieved, and to answer damages to him, as 
if he had done the same without writ, process, &c. 

By statute 1 William and Mary, c. 18, intituled " An 
Act for exempting their Majesties' Protestant Subjects 
dissenting from the Church of England from the Pe- 
nalties of certain Laws," sec. 2, the above-mentioned 
enactments in the statutes 1 Eliz. c. 2, and 23 Eliz. c. 1, 
are not to extend to persons dissenting from the Church 
of England, who shall take the oaths and make tjie 
declaration therein referred to. And by the 1 6th section, 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 271 

all the laws made and provided for the frequenting of 
Divine service on the Lord's-day, shall be still in force 
and executed against all persons that offend against the 
said laws, except such persons come to some congre- 
gation or assembly of religious worship allowed or per- 
mitted by that Act. 

By 10 and 11 Will. 3, c. 4, intituled "An Act for 
making Billingsgate a free Market for the Sale of Fish," 
it is enacted that Billingsgate market shall be every day 
in the week (except Sundays) a free and open market for 
all sorts of fish. And by the 14th section, it is provided 
that nothing in the Act contained shall be construed to 
prohibit the selling of mackerel before or after Divine 
service on Sundays. 

By 1 1 and 12 Will. 3, c. 21 , being an "Act for the Regu- 
lation of Watermen upon the Thames," sec. 13, reciting 
that a great number of idle and loose watermen and boys 
do work on the Lord's-day, and exact large prices from 
passengers whose necessary occasions oblige them to 
pass and repass the river, and generally spend such their 
gains in drunkenness and profaneness the succeeding 
week ; for prevention thereof, and to the end that what 
shall be got thereby may be applied to the charitable 
relief of aged and maimed watermen and lightermen, 
their widows and children, the Watermen's Company are 
authorized to appoint any number of watermen, not ex- 
ceeding 40, to ply and work every Lord's-day between 
Vauxhall and Limehouse, for carrying and re- carrying 
passengers across the river, at Id. each person. 

By 2 Geo. 3, c. 15, intituled " An Act for the better 



272 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

supplying the Cities of London and Westminster with 
Fish, and to reduce the present exorbitant Price thereof, 
and to protect and encourage Fishermen," sec. 7, fish 
carriages are allowed to travel on Sunday, whether laden 
or returning empty ; and the horses which shall return 
from drawing any such carriage, though rode on by any 
driver, or drawing back any empty fish carriage, shall be 
allowed to pass on Sundays, without any such driver in- 
curring any penalty for so travelling. And by the 11th 
section, it is enacted that all fish that shall be brought 
by land carriage to London or Westminster, or to any 
other place within the weekly bills of mortality, shall the 
next morning at farthest be exposed to sale (except such 
next day shall happen to be a Sunday, and in such case 
then on Monday morning next following) : and by the 
12 section, it is provided that nothing in the Act con- 
tained shall be construed to prohibit the selling any 
mackerel which shall be brought by any such fish car- 
riage before or after Divine service on a Sunday. 

By the Act 2 L Geo. 3, c. 49, intituled " An Act for 
preventing certain Abuses and Profanations on theLord's- 
day, called Sunday," reciting that "certain houses, 
rooms or places within the cities of London or West- 
minster, or in the neighbourhood thereof, have of late 
frequently been opened for public entertainment or 
amusement upon the evening of the Lord's-day, com- 
monly called Sunday ; and at other houses, rooms, or 
places within the said cities, or in the neighbourhood 
thereof, under pretence of inquiring into religious doc- 
trines and explaining texts of Holy Scripture, debates 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORIES-DAY. 273 

have frequently been held on the evening of the Lord's- 
day, concerning divers texts of Holy Scripture, by per- 
sons unlearned and incompetent to explain the same, to 
the corruption of good morals, and to the great encou- 
ragement of irreligion and profaneness :" it is enacted, 
that any house, room, or other place which shall be 
opened or used for public entertainment or amusement, 
or for publicly debating on any subject whatsoever on 
any part of the Lord's-day, called Sunday, and to which 
persons shall be admitted by a payment of money, or by 
tickets sold for money, shall be deemed a disorderly 
house or place, and the keeper thereof shall forfeit 200/. 
for every day that such house, room, or place shall be 
opened or used as aforesaid on the Lord's -day, to such 
person as will sue for the same,, and be otherwise punish- 
able as in cases of disorderly houses $ and the persons 
managing or conducting such entertainment or amuse- 
ment on the Lord's-day, or acting as master of the cere- 
monies there, or as moderator, president, or chairman of 
any such meeting for public debate on the Lord's-dav, 
shall likewise for every such offence forfeit 100/. to such 
persons as will sue for the same. And every door- 
keeper, servant, or other person who shall collect or 
receive money or tickets from persons assembling at such 
house, or who shall deliver out tickets for admitting per- 
sons thereto, shall also forfeit 50/. And by the 3rd sec- 
tion, all persons advertising such public entertainment or 
amusement or meeting, or printing or publishing any 
such advertisement, shall forfeit 50/. And by the 2nd 
section, any house, room or place at which persons shall be 
T 



274 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

supplied with tea, coffee, or any other refreshments of 
eating or drinking on the Lord's-day, at any greater 
prices than the common and usual prices at which the 
like refreshments are commonly sold upon other days, 
shall be deemed a place to which persons are admitted 
by the payment of money, although money be not there 
taken in the name of or for admittance, or at the time 
where persons enter or depart. And any house, room, or 
place which shall be opened or used for any public enter- 
tainment or amusement, or for public debate, on the 
Lord's -day, at the expense of any number of subscribers 
or contributors, and to which persons shall be admitted 
by tickets, to which subscribers or contributors shall be 
entitled, shall be deemed a place to which persons are 
admitted by the payment of money. But by the 8th 
section, nothing therein contained shall alter any of the 
liberties to which Protestant subjects being dissenters 
are entitled under 1 William & Mary, c. 18. 

By the 1 & 2 Geo. 4, c. 50, for making and regulating 
the sale of bread out of the city of London, &c, s. 11, 
it is enacted, that no master, mistress, journeyman, or 
other person exercising or employed in the trade or 
calling of a baker, out of the city of London and the 
liberties thereof, and beyond the weekly bills of mortality 
and 10 miles of the Royal Exchange, shall on the Lord's- 
day or any part thereof make or bake any bread, rolls or 
cakes, nor shall on any part of the said day sell or expose 
to sale, or permit or suffer to be sold or exposed for sale, 
any bread, rolls or cakes of any sort or kind except to 
travellers, or in cases of urgent necessity, or bake or 



TN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 275 

deliver any meat, pudding, pie, tart, or victuals at any- 
time after half-past one in the afternoon of that day, or 
in any other manner exercise the trade or calling of a 
baker, or be engaged or occupied in the business or occu- 
pation thereof, except as aforesaid, and except so far as 
may be necessary in setting and superintending the 
sponge to prepare the bread or dough for the following 
day's baking. And that no meat, pudding, pie, tart, or 
victuals shall be brought to or taken from any bakehouse 
during time of Divine service, nor within a quarter of an 
hour of the time of the commencement thereof. And 
every person offending against the foregoing regulations, 
or any one or more of them, to be subject on conviction 
to a penalty of 5s. for the first offence, 10s. for the 
second, and 20s. for the third and every subsequent 
offence, with costs. 

By 3 Geo. 4, c. 106, being an Act to provide regula- 
tions for the making and sale of bread in the city of 
London and the liberties thereof, and within the weekly 
bills of mortality and ten miles of the Royal Exchange, 
sec. 16, it is enacted, that no master, mistress, journey- 
roan, or other person exercised, or employed in the trade 
or calling of a baker within the limits aforesaid, shall on 
the Lord's-day or any part thereof make or bake any 
bread, rolls or cakes, or shall on any other part of the 
said day than between nine in the forenoon and one in 
the afternoon, on any pretence whatsoever, sell or expose 
to sale any bread, rolls or cakes of any sort or kind, or 
bake or deliver any meat, pudding, pie, tart or victuals, 
except as hereinafter excepted, or in anv other manner 
t2 



276 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

exercise the trade or calling of a baker, except so far as 
may be necessary in setting and superintending the 
sponge to prepare the bread or dough for the following 
day's baking. And every person offending against the 
last-mentioned regulations, or any one or more of them, 
or making any sale or delivery thereby allowed otherwise 
than within the bakehouse or shop, and being thereof 
convicted, shall pay for the first offence 10s., for the 
second offence 20s., and for the third and every subse- 
quent offence 40s. with costs : provided that it shall be 
lawful for every master or mistress baker residing within 
the limits aforesaid to deliver to his or her customers on 
the Lord's-day, any bakings until half-past one in the 
afternoon, without being liable to any of the penalties. 

By 9 Geo. 4, c. 61, intituled " An Act to regulate 
the granting of Licences to Keepers of Inns, Ale-houses, 
and Victualling-houses in England," by sec. 13, it is 
enacted that every licence which shall be granted under 
the Act shall be according to the form in the schedule 
annexed. And every licence in "any other form shall 
not entitle any person to obtain an excise licence for 
selling excisable liquors by retail, to be drunk or con- 
sumed on the premises of the person licensed, and shall 
be utterly void. And by the 17th section, no licence for 
the sale of any excisable liquor by retail, to be drunk or 
consumed on the premises of the person licensed, shall 
be granted by the Commissioners of Excise, unless such 
persons shall have previously obtained from the justices 
a licence under the Act ; and by the form of licence so re- 
ferred to, the party licensed is authorized to sell by retail in 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD's-DAY. 277 

the inn, ale-house or victualling house therein specified, 
and in the premises thereunto belonging, all such excis- 
able liquors as he shall be licensed or empowered to sell 
under the authority and permission of any excise licence, 
and to permit all such liquors to be drunk or consumed 
in his said house, or on the premises thereunto belonging, 
provided (among other things) he do not keep open his 
house except for the reception of travellers, nor permit 
any beer or other excisable liquor to be conveyed from 
or out of his premises during the usual hours of the 
morning and afternoon Divine service in the church or 
chapel of the parish or place. 

By 1 Will. 4, c. 64, intituled " An Act to permit the 
general Sale of Beer and Cyder by Retail in England," 
sec. 14, it is enacted, that no person licensed to sell beer 
by retail under that Act shall sell or retail beer, nor 
suffer any beer to be drunk or consumed in or at such 
house at any time within the hours of ten in the fore- 
noon and one in the afternoon, or between the hours of 
three and five in the afternoon, on any Sunday, Good 
Friday, Christmas-Day, or any day appointed for a pub- 
lic fast or thanksgiving, under a penalty of 40s. for every 
offence ; and every separate sale shall be deemed a sepa- 
rate offence, and a condition to the same effect is inserted 
in the form of the licence annexed to the Act. 

By 1 & 2 Will. 4, c. 22, being an Act to amend the 
laws relating to Hackney Carriages, &c, sec. 37, it shall 
be lawful for the proprietor or driver of any hackney 
carriage licensed under that Act to stand and ply for 
hire for such carriage, and to drive the same on the 



278 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

Lord's-day. And such proprietor or driver who shall 
so stand or ply for hire shall be compellable to do the 
like work on the Lord's-day as he is compellable to do 
on any other day of the week. 

By the Act 1 & 2 Will. 4, c. 32, intituled " An Act 
to amend the laws in England relative to Game," sec. 3, it 
is enacted, that if any person whatsoever shall kill or take 
any game, or use any dog, gun, net, or other engine or 
instrument for the purpose of killing or taking any game, 
on a Sunday or Christmas-day, such person shall, on 
conviction thereof before two justices of the peace, forfeit 
and pay for every such offence such sum of money? not 
exceeding 5/., as to the said justices shall seem meet, 
together with the costs of the conviction. 

By 2 & 3 Vic. c. 47, intituled ."Ad Act for further 
improving the Police in and near the Metropolis," sec. 42, 
it is enacted, that no licensed victualler or other person 
shall open his house, within the Metropolitan Police 
District, for the sale of wine, spirits, beer, or other fer- 
mented or distilled liquors, on Sundays, Christmas-day, 
and Good Friday, before the hour of one in the afternoon, 
except refreshment for travellers." 

By 7 & 8 Victoria, c. 85, intituled " An Act to attach 
certain Conditions to the Construction of future Rail- 
ways," it is enacted, in clause 10, that whenever any 
railway company subject to the herein -before mentioned 
obligation of running cheap trains shall, from and after 
the days herein-before specified on which the said obli- 
gation is to accrue, run any train or trains on Sundays 
for the conveyance of passengers, it shall, under the 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORD'S-DAY. 279 

obligations contained in its Act or Acts of Parliament, 
and with the immunities applicable by law to carriers 
of passengers by railway, by such train each way, on 
every Sunday, as shall stop at the greatest number of 
stations, provide sufficient carriages for the conveyance 
of third-class passengers at the terminal and other 
stations at which such Sunday train may ordinarily stop ; 
and the fare or charge for each third-class passenger by 
such train shall not exceed one penny for each mile 
travelled. 

By 11 & 12 Victoria, c. 49, intituled i( An Act for 
regulating the Sale of Beer and other Liquors on the 
Lord's-day," it is enacted, " That whereas the provisions 
in force within the Metropolitan Police District, and in 
some other places in England, against the sale of fer- 
mented and distilled liquors in the morning of the 
Lord's-day, have been found to be attended with -great 
benefits : be it enacted by the Queen's most excellent 
Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the 
Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons, in this pre- 
sent Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the 
same, that no licensed victualler, or person licensed to 
sell beer by retail to be drunk on the premises, or not 
to be drunk on the premises, or other person, in any 
part of Great Britain, shall open his house for the sale 
of wine, spirits, beer, or other fermented or distilled 
liquors, or sell the same, on Sunday, before half-past 
twelve o'clock in the afternoon, or, where the morning 
Divine service in the church, chapel, kirk, or principal 
place of worship of the parish or place shall not usually 



280 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

terminate by that time, before the time of the termination 
of such service ; and that no licensed victualler or other 
person in England shall open his house for the sale of 
wine, spirits, beer, or other fermented or distilled liquors, 
or sell the same, on Christmas-day or Good Friday, 
or any day appointed for a public fast or thanksgiving, 
before the respective times aforesaid, except, in all the 
cases aforesaid, as refreshment for travellers : provided 
always, that nothing herein contained shall authorize the 
opening of any house for the sale of wine, spirits, beer, 
or other fermented or distilled liquors, within the Metro- 
politan Police District, or any city, town, or place, at an 
earlier hour or time than is now allowed by law, where 
the opening of such house or such sale is now specially 
prohibited before any later hour or time than that herein- 
before mentioned. 

" That so much of an Act passed in the fourth year of 
her present Majesty, intituled ' An Act to amend the Acts 
relating to the general Sale of Beer and Cider by Retail 
in England,' as provides that no person licensed to sell 
beer or cider by retail as therein mentioned should have 
or keep his house open for the sale of beer or cider, nor 
should sell or retail beer or cider, nor should suffer any 
beer or cider to be drunk or consumed in or at such 
house, at any hour before one of the clock in the after- 
noon on any Sunday, Good Friday, Christmas-day, or 
any day appointed for a public fast or thanksgiving, 
shall, without prejudice to any pending proceeding for 
breach of such enactment, be repealed. 

" That it shall not be lawful for any licensed victualler, 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORdVdAY. 281 

or person licensed to sell beer by retail to be drunk on 
the premises or not to be drunk on the premises, or any 
person licensed or authorized to sell any fermented or 
distilled liquors, or any person who, by reason of the 
freedom of the mystery or craft of vintners of the city 
of London or of any right or privilege, shall claim to be 
entitled to sell wine by retail to be drunk or consumed 
on the premises, to open his house for the sale of any 
other articles whatsoever within the respective times 
during which the sale of wine, spirits, beer, or other fer- 
mented or distilled liquors is herein-before prohibited, 
except as refreshment for travellers, 

" That no person shall open any house or place of 
public resort for the sale of fermented or distilled liquors, 
or sell therein such liquors, in England or Scotland, 
before the hour of half-past twelve of the clock in the 
afternoon, or where the morning Divine service in the 
church, chapel, kirk, or principal place of worship shall 
not usually terminate by that time, before the time of 
the termination of such service on Sunday, or in England 
before the like hour on Christmas day or Good Friday, 
or any day appointed for a public fast or thanksgiving, 
except as refreshment for travellers. 

11 That it shall be lawful for any constable at any 
time to enter into any house or place of public resort for 
the sale of wine, spirits, or other fermented or distilled 
liquors ; and every person who shall refuse to admit or 
shall not admit such constable into such house or place 
shall be deemed guilty of an offence against this Act. 

" That every person offending against this Act shall 



282 STATISTICS AND FACTS, ETC. 

be liable, upon a summary conviction for the same 
before any justice of the peace for the county, riding, 
division, liberty, city, borough, or place where the offence 
shall be committed, or in Scotland before any justice of 
the peace or sheriff or magistrate having jurisdiction in 
the place where the offence shall be committed, to a 
penalty not exceeding five pounds for every such offence ; 
and every separate sale shall be deemed a separate 
offence." 

The following is the title of the Weaver Navigation 
Act, 3 & 4 Victoria, c. cxxiv. (4th August, 1840) : — 
" An Act to authorize the Trustees of the river Weaver 
in the county of Chester to apply part of the funds arising 
from the rates and duties payable in respect of the Navi- 
gation of the said river for the erecting and endowing 
one or more church or churches for the accommodation of 
the watermen, hawlers, and others employed upon the 
said river, and connected with the traffic thereof." 



"THE BOOK OE SPOETS." 



It has been deemed desirable to place before our 
readers that remarkable document called " The 
Book of Sports/' so intimately connected with the 
history of the observance of the LordVday in this 
country ; the effects of which, in demoralizing the 
population, more speedily precipitated that state of 
things which soon after led to the execution of 
Charles I., and the temporary subversion of the 
monarchy. 

When King James I. was on a progress in Lanca- 
shire, in August 1617, a petition was presented to him 
by a great number of Lancashire peasants, trades- 
men, and servants, requesting that they might be 
allowed to take their diversions (as of old accustomed) 
after Divine service on Sundays. This is said to have 
been the origin of u The Book of Sports/' promul- 
gated by royal authority, May .24, 1618. The book 
was ordered to be read publicly in all churches; 
and such ministers as refused to obey the injunction 
were threatened with severe punishment in the High 
Commission Court. It was called, in contempt, by 



284 STATISTICS AND FACTS 

the seriously disposed, "The Dancing Book." — 
(Nichols' "Progresses of James I.") 

The following note to the above occurs in the 
Appendix, 1103 : — 

" A new encroachment upon the Sabbath/' says Wil- 
son, meaning < The Book of Sports/ "gave both King and 
people more liberty to profane the day with authority : 
for if the court were to remove on Monday, the King's 
carriages must go out the day before ; all times were 
alike ; and the court being to remove to Theobalds the 
next day, the carriages went through the city of London 
on the Sabbath, with a great deal of clatter and noise, 
in the time of Divine service. The Lord Mayor (Sir 
George Bolles) hearing of it, commanded them to be 
stopt ; and this carried the officers of the carriages with 
a great deal of violence to the court; and the business 
being presented to the King with as much asperity as 
men in authorities (crossed in their humour) could ex- 
press it, it put the King into a great rage, swearing he 
thought there had been no more kings in England but 
himself 5 yet, after he was a little cooled, he sent a 
warrant to the Lord Mayor, commanding him to let 
them pass, which he obeyed, with this answer : ' While it 
was in my power I did my duty ; but. that being taken 
away by a higher power, it is my duty to obey ;' which 
the King, upon second thoughts, took well, and thanked 
him for it." 

"The Book of Sports" enjoins : — 

" Whereas we did justly, in our progresse through 



IN REFERENCE TO THE LORIES-DAY. 285 

(c Lancashire, rebuke some puritanes and precise 
u people, in prohibiting and unlawfully punishing our 
" good people for using their lawfull recreations and 
" honest exercises on Sundayes and other holy dayes, 
€€ after the afternoon sermon or service : It is our will, 
" that after the end of Divine service, our good people 
u be not disturbed, letted, or discouraged from any 
" lawful recreation ; such as dancing, either for men 
" or women ; archery for men, leaping, vaulting, or 
u any other such harmless recreation ; nor for having 
(C of May-games, Whitson-ales, and morris-daunces, 
u and the setting up of May-poles and other sports 
" therewith used ; so as the same be had in due and 
" convenient time, without impediment or neglect of 
" Divine service. But withall, we doe here account 
" still as prohibited all unlawfull games to be used 
" upon Sundayes only, as beare and bull baitings, 
" interludes, and, at all times in the meaner sort of 
" people by law prohibited, bowling." — (Strutt's 
Sports and Pastimes, lvi. Introduction.) 



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